2, 3-Dihydro-3β-methoxy Withaferin-A Lacks Anti-Metastasis Potency: Bioinformatics and Experimental Evidences

Sci Rep. 2019 Nov 22;9(1):17344. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-53568-6.

Abstract

Withaferin-A is a withanolide, predominantly present in Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera). It has been shown to possess anticancer activity in a variety of human cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Molecular mechanism of such cytotoxicity has not yet been completely understood. Withaferin-A and Withanone were earlier shown to activate p53 tumor suppressor and oxidative stress pathways in cancer cells. 2,3-dihydro-3β-methoxy analogue of Withaferin-A (3βmWi-A) was shown to lack cytotoxicity and well tolerated at higher concentrations. It, on the other hand, protected normal cells against oxidative, chemical and UV stresses through induction of anti-stress and pro-survival signaling. We, in the present study, investigated the effect of Wi-A and 3βmWi-A on cell migration and metastasis signaling. Whereas Wi-A binds to vimentin and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNP-K) with high efficacy and downregulates its effector proteins, MMPs and VEGF, involved in cancer cell metastasis, 3βmWi-A was ineffective. Consistently, Wi-A, and not 3βmWi-A, caused reduction in cytoskeleton proteins (Vimentin, N-Cadherin) and active protease (u-PA) that are essential for three key steps of cancer cell metastasis (EMT, increase in cell migration and invasion).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Computational Biology
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / drug effects
  • Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K / chemistry
  • Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Withanolides / chemical synthesis
  • Withanolides / chemistry
  • Withanolides / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K
  • Withanolides
  • HNRNPK protein, human
  • withaferin A