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Involvement of AMPK/mTOR/HIF-1α in anticancer control of quercetin in hypoxic MCF-7 cells

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Abstract

Quercetin has been reported to possess therapeutic effects in the treatment of cancers. In this study, the molecular action of quercetin, with emphasis on its ability to control the intracellular signaling cascades of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), responsible for survival or induction of apoptosis in hypoxic MCF-7 cells, was investigated. The effects of quercetin on apoptosis in relation to its ability to prevent HIF-1α induction were investigated. The involvement of HIF-1α reduction in quercetin-based cancer control was clearly shown in conditions of mTOR inhibition by rapamycin, an mTOR inhibitor. Surprisingly, quercetin induced an AMPK-suppressed state in a CoCl2-induced hypoxic condition. It is speculated that quercetin is capable of inhibiting AMPK to decrease HIF-1α, which is a critical survival factor in hypoxia. A complex control of HIF-1α, mTOR, and AMPK is necessary in inducing apoptosis of MCF-7 breast cancer cells under hypoxia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food and Nutrition, Hannam University Daedeok Valley Campus, Daejeon, 305-811, Korea

    Ock ** Park

  2. Department of Cell Biology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, 11203, USA

    Yun-Kyoung Lee

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  1. Yun-Kyoung Lee
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  2. Ock ** Park
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Correspondence to Ock ** Park.

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Lee, YK., Park, O.J. Involvement of AMPK/mTOR/HIF-1α in anticancer control of quercetin in hypoxic MCF-7 cells. Food Sci Biotechnol 20, 371–375 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-011-0052-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-011-0052-3

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