Sasa quelpaertensis Leaf Extract Inhibits Colon Cancer by Regulating Cancer Cell Stemness in Vitro and in Vivo

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Soo Jin Min³  Ji Ye Lim³  Haeng Ran Kim²  Se-Jae Kim¹  Yuri Kim³ 

[1] Department of Biology, Jeju National University, Jejusi, Jeju 690-756, Korea; E-Mail:;National Academy of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, Jeollabuk-do 565-851, Korea; E-Mail:;Department of Nutritional Science and Food Management, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 120-750, Korea; E-Mails:

关键词: Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai leaf extract;    colon cancer;    cancer stem cells;    self-renewal;    differentiation;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms16059976

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

A rare subpopulation of cancer cells, termed cancer stem cells (CSCs), may be responsible for tumor relapse and resistance to conventional chemotherapy. The development of a non-toxic, natural treatment for the elimination of CSCs is considered a strategy for cancer treatment with minimal side effects. In the present study, the potential for Sasa quelpaertensis leaf extract (SQE) and its two bioactive compounds, tricin and p-coumaric acid, to exert anti-CSC effects by suppressing cancer stemness characteristics were evaluated in colon cancer cells. CD133⁺CD44⁺ cells were isolated from HT29 and HCT116 cell lines using flow-activated cell sorting (FACs). SQE treatment was found to significantly suppress the self-renewal capacity of both cell lines. SQE treatment was also associated with the down-regulation of β-catenin and phosphorylated GSK3β, while significantly enhancing cell differentiation by up-regulating CK20 expression and blocking the expression of several stem cell markers, including DLK1, Notch1, and Sox-2. In vivo, SQE supplementation suppressed tumor growth in a xenograft model by down-regulating stem cell markers and β-catenin as well as HIF-1α signaling. Compared with two bioactive compounds of SQE, SQE exhibited the most effective anti-CSC properties. Taken together, these results provide evidence that SQE inhibits colon cancer by regulating the characteristics of CSCs.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.