Abstract
Accumulating evidences have reported that caffeine has anticancer effects at high blood concentrations. However, whether caffeine has anticancer effects on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells at low concentration, especially at physiologically applicable concentration (< 412 μM) is still not well understood. In this study, HCC cell lines HepG2 and Huh7 were used. The cells were incubated with varying concentrations of caffeine (0, 50, 100, 200, 400 or 600 μM). MTT assay was used to investigate the proliferation ability in vitro. Migration and invasion abilities were determined by wound healing assay and transwell assay. The molecular changes were detected by western blot. An ectopic nude mice model which the mice were gavaged with caffeine was used to reveal the anticancer effects of caffeine on HepG2 cells in vivo. Results showed that caffeine could inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion significantly at physiologically applicable concentration in vitro. Also the associated molecular changes of cancer progression were observed. In animal experiment, the mice gavaged with caffeine also performanced reduced tumor burden in vivo. Moreover, the interrelated protein expression was also observed in vivo which was coincident with the results in vitro. All in all, this observation indicated that caffeine may suppress the progression of HCC through Akt signaling pathway. This makes caffeine a potential candidate for treating HCC which will be a safer and more effective treatment by giving for a long time at physiologically applicable concentration.
Keywords: Caffeine, hepatocellular carcinoma, progression, physiologically applicable concentration.
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry
Title:Low Concentration of Caffeine Inhibits the Progression of the Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Akt Signaling Pathway
Volume: 15 Issue: 4
Author(s): Shuying Dong, Jian Kong, Jinge Kong, Qiang Shen, Fandong Kong, Wenbing Sun and Lemin Zheng
Affiliation:
Keywords: Caffeine, hepatocellular carcinoma, progression, physiologically applicable concentration.
Abstract: Accumulating evidences have reported that caffeine has anticancer effects at high blood concentrations. However, whether caffeine has anticancer effects on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells at low concentration, especially at physiologically applicable concentration (< 412 μM) is still not well understood. In this study, HCC cell lines HepG2 and Huh7 were used. The cells were incubated with varying concentrations of caffeine (0, 50, 100, 200, 400 or 600 μM). MTT assay was used to investigate the proliferation ability in vitro. Migration and invasion abilities were determined by wound healing assay and transwell assay. The molecular changes were detected by western blot. An ectopic nude mice model which the mice were gavaged with caffeine was used to reveal the anticancer effects of caffeine on HepG2 cells in vivo. Results showed that caffeine could inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion significantly at physiologically applicable concentration in vitro. Also the associated molecular changes of cancer progression were observed. In animal experiment, the mice gavaged with caffeine also performanced reduced tumor burden in vivo. Moreover, the interrelated protein expression was also observed in vivo which was coincident with the results in vitro. All in all, this observation indicated that caffeine may suppress the progression of HCC through Akt signaling pathway. This makes caffeine a potential candidate for treating HCC which will be a safer and more effective treatment by giving for a long time at physiologically applicable concentration.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Dong Shuying, Kong Jian, Kong Jinge, Shen Qiang, Kong Fandong, Sun Wenbing and Zheng Lemin, Low Concentration of Caffeine Inhibits the Progression of the Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Akt Signaling Pathway, Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry 2015; 15 (4) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1871520615666150209110832
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1871520615666150209110832 |
Print ISSN 1871-5206 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-5992 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Induction of cell death in cancer cells by modulating telomerase activity using small molecule drugs
Telomeres are distinctive but short stretches present at the corners of chromosomes and aid in stabilizing chromosomal makeup. Resynthesis of telomeres supported by the activity of reverse transcriptase ribonucleoprotein complex telomerase. There is no any telomerase activity in human somatic cells, but the stem cells and germ cells undergone telomerase ...read more
Role of natural compounds as anti anti-cancer agents
Cancer is considered the leading cause of worldwide mortality, accounting for nearly 10 million deaths in 2022. Cancer outcome can be improved through an appropriate screening and early detection and through an efficient clinical treatment. Chemotherapy remains an important approach in treatment o f several types of cancers, even though ...read more
Signaling and enzymatic modulators in cancer treatment
Cancer accounts for nearly 10 million deaths in 2022 and is considered the leading cause of worldwide mortality. Cancer outcome can be improved through an appropriate screening and early detection and through an efficient clinical treatment. Chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery are the most important approach for the treatment of several ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
Related Articles
-
Characteristics of Brain Tumor Stem Cells and the Rationale for Applying Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors as Potential Targeting Agents
Recent Patents on Regenerative Medicine Improving the Hsp90 Inhibitors Containing 4-(2,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-1,2,3-thiadiazole Scaffold: Synthesis, Affinity and Effect on Cancer Cells
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Post-Wortmannin Era: Novel Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase Inhibitors with Potential Therapeutic Applications
Current Enzyme Inhibition Characterization of Breast Lesions by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Spectroscopy (MRS)
Current Medical Imaging Stable Expression of the Sodium/Iodide Symporter (NIS) for anti-Cancer Gene Therapy of Glioma Cells Using a Third Generation Self-Inactivating Lentiviral Vector System in Combination with 211At
Current Radiopharmaceuticals Medicinal Chemistry of Drugs with Active Metabolites Following Conjugation
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry Recent Advances in Experimental Molecular Therapeutics for Malignant Gliomas
Current Medicinal Chemistry - Anti-Cancer Agents Meet Our Editorial Board Member
Current Cancer Therapy Reviews Regional Differences in Adaptation of CNS Mu Opioid Receptors to Chronic Opioid Agonist Administration
Current Neuropharmacology Tissue Protective and Anti-Fibrotic Actions of Suramin: New Uses of an Old Drug
Current Clinical Pharmacology Novel Therapeutic Targets in Neuropsychiatric Disorders: The Neuroepigenome
Current Pharmaceutical Design Recent Advances in Radiation Therapy of Cancer Cells: A Step towards an Experimental and Systems Biology Framework
Current Radiopharmaceuticals Pore-forming Peptides: A New Treatment Option for Cancer
Current Medicinal Chemistry Editorial (Thematic Issue: Advances with microRNAs in Tumorigenesis and Cancer Therapy)
Current Pharmaceutical Design The Cytoprotective and Anti-cancer Potential of Bisbenzylisoquinoline Alkaloids from <I>Nelumbo nucifera</I>
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Antitumor Activity of Copper (I)–Nicotinate Complex and Autophagy Modulation in HCC1806 Breast Cancer Cells
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Radiolabelled Oligonucleotides for Imaging of Gene Expression with PET
Current Medicinal Chemistry Stem Cell Differentiation Stage Factors from Zebrafish Embryo: A Novel Strategy to Modulate the Fate of Normal and Pathological Human (Stem) Cells
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Vasculogenic and Angiogenic Pathways in Moyamoya Disease
Current Medicinal Chemistry The Smart Targeting of Nanoparticles
Current Pharmaceutical Design