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Quercetin suppresses pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma progression via inhibition of SHH and TGF-β/Smad signaling pathways

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Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is an aggressive type of malignant tumor with a poor prognosis and high mortality. Aberrant activation of hedgehog signaling plays a crucial role in the maintenance and progression of PDA. Here, we report that the dietary bioflavonoid quercetin has therapeutic potential for PDA by targeting sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling. The effects of quercetin on the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells (PCCs) and tumor growth and metastasis in PDA xenograft mouse models were evaluated. Additionally, SHH signaling activity was determined. Quercetin significantly inhibited PCC proliferation by downregulating c-Myc expression. In addition, quercetin suppressed epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by reducing TGF-β1 level, which resulted in inhibition of PCC migration and invasion. Moreover, quercetin induced PCC apoptosis through mitochondrial and death receptor pathways. In nude mouse models, PDA growth and metastasis were reduced by quercetin treatment. Mechanically, quercetin exerts its therapeutic effects on PDA by decreasing SHH activity. Interestingly, quercetin-induced SHH inactivation is mainly dependent on Gli2, but not Gli1. Enhance SHH activity by recombinant Shh protein abolished the quercetin-mediated inhibition of PCC proliferation, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, Shh activated TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling and promoted EMT by inducing the expression of Zeb2 and Snail1 that eventually resulted in a partial reversal of quercetin-mediated inhibition of PCC migration and invasion. We conclude that quercetin inhibited the growth, migration, and invasion and induced apoptosis of PCCs by antagonizing SHH and TGF-β/Smad signaling pathways. Thus, quercetin may be a potential candidate for PDA treatment.

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Abbreviations

Bax:

Bcl-2-associated X protein

Bcl-2:

B cell lymphoma 2

CCK-8:

Cell counting kit 8

DMEM:

Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium

ELISA:

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

EMT:

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

EMT-TFs:

EMT-inducing transcription factors

FBS:

Fetal bovine serum

GAPDH:

Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase

IHC:

Immunohistochemical

PBS:

Phosphate buffer saline

PCCs:

Pancreatic cancer cells

PDA:

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

qRT-PCR:

Quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR

RTCA:

Real-time cell analysis

Shh:

Sonic hedgehog

Smo:

Smoothened

TGF-β1:

Transforming growth factor-β1

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Acknowledgments

This study was sponsored by Wenzhou Science and Technology Plan Project, China (Grant No. Y20180100) and Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province (2018E10008).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China

    Yangyang Guo, Hengyue Zhu, Yanyi **ao, Hangcheng Guo, Lumeng Shang, Wen**g Zheng & Yongheng Bai

  2. Department of Laboratory Medicine, People’s Hospital of Wenzhou City, Wenzhou, 325000, China

    Yu Tong, Lumeng Shang & Wen**g Zheng

  3. Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China

    Hengyue Zhu

  4. Platform for Radiation Protection and Emergency Preparedness, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China

    Shumei Ma & **aodong Liu

  5. Center for Health Assessment, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China

    Shumei Ma, **aodong Liu & Yongheng Bai

Authors
  1. Yangyang Guo
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  2. Yu Tong
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  3. Hengyue Zhu
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  4. Yanyi **ao
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  6. Lumeng Shang
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  9. **aodong Liu
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Contributions

YB and XL designed the research. YG, HZ, and YX performed the experiments, analyzed the data, and drafted the manuscript. YG, HG, SM, LS, and WZ performed the experiments and collected data for the revision. YT and YB edited the manuscript. YB, SM, and XL contributed to the discussion and review of the manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to **aodong Liu or Yongheng Bai.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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This Declaration acknowledges that this paper adheres to the principles for transparent reporting and scientific rigor of preclinical research as stated in the BJP guidelines for Design & Analysis, Immunoblotting and Immunochemistry, and Animal Experimentation, and as recommended by funding agencies, publishers, and other organizations engaged with supporting research.

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Bullet point summary

What is already known?

Quercetin inhibits the growth, migration, and invasion and induced apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells.

What does this study add?

Gli2-dependent sonic hedgehog signaling is critical for quercetin-mediated anticancer effects in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Clinical significance

Quercetin has therapeutic potential for the treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma by targeting SHH and TGF-β/Smad signaling pathways.

Highlights

1. Quercetin inhibited growth, migration, and invasion and induced apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells.

2. Gli2-dependent SHH signaling pathway was involved in quercetin-mediated anticancer effects.

3. Quercetin reduced SHH activity, thereby inhibiting TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling and blocking the EMT process by regulating the expression of EMT-TFs Zeb2 and Snail1.

Pharmacological nomenclature

TARGETS

Smo

LIGANDS

Quercetin

Transforming growth factor beta-1

Electronic supplementary material

Figure S1

Effect of quercetin on the activities of JAK2, β-catenin and mTOR. (A) Western blot analysis showing the expression and phosphorylation of JAK2 in quercetin-treated PANC-1 and Patu8988 cells. (B) Western blot analysis showing the expression and phosphorylation of β-catenin in quercetin-treated PANC-1 and Patu8988 cells. (C) Western blot analysis for the expression and phosphorylation of mTOR in quercetin-treated PANC-1 and Patu8988 cells. Data were presented as the mean ± standard deviation in quintuplicate for the cell line experiment. (PNG 583 kb)

High resolution image (TIF 2763 kb)

Figure S2

Shh expression in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tissues. (A) Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for Shh in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) and adjacent normal tissues. Bar = 100 μm and 50 μm. (B) ELISA for Shh level in pancreatic ductal epithelial cells (HPDE6-C7 and hTERT-HPNE) and tumor cells (PANC-1 and Patu8988). c In silico analyses of three other independent data sets obtained from Oncomine. *P < 0.05; ***P < 0.001. (PNG 1560 kb)

High resolution image (TIF 4447 kb)

Figure S3

Gli2 expression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma data sets. (A) In silico analyses of two other independent data sets obtained from Oncomine. (B) Correlation between Gli2 expression level and survival curve of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA). (PNG 399 kb)

High resolution image (TIF 1407 kb)

Figure S4

Effect of TGF-β1 on SHH signaling in pancreatic cancer cells. Western blot analysis showing the expression of Smo, Gli1, and Gli2 in TGF-β1-treated PANC-1 and Patu8988 cells. Data were presented as the mean ± standard deviation in quintuplicate for the cell line experiment.*P < 0.05. (PNG 392 kb)

High resolution image (TIF 1896 kb)

Figure S5

Effect of Gli2 siRNA on TGF-β1 expression in pancreatic cancer cells. (A) Western blot analysis showing the expression of Gli2 and TGF-β1 in PANC-1 cells. (B) qRT-PCR analysis showing the mRNA expression of Gli2 and TGF-β1 in PANC-1 cells. Data were presented as the mean ± standard deviation in quintuplicate for the cell line experiment.***P < 0.001. (PNG 241 kb)

High resolution image (TIF 1004 kb)

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Guo, Y., Tong, Y., Zhu, H. et al. Quercetin suppresses pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma progression via inhibition of SHH and TGF-β/Smad signaling pathways. Cell Biol Toxicol 37, 479–496 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10565-020-09562-0

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