Wnt/ β-catenin Modulates Chronic Tobacco Smoke Exposure-induced Acquisition of Pulmonary Cancer Stem Cell Properties and Diallyl Trisulfide Intervention.

Wnt/β-catenin Modulates Chronic Tobacco Smoke Exposure-induced Acquisition of Pulmonary Cancer Stem Cell Properties and Diallyl Trisulfide Intervention. Toxicol Lett. 2018 Apr 04;: Authors: Wang J, Chen J, Jiang Y, Shi Y, Zhu J, Xie C, Geng S, Wu J, Zhang Q, Wang X, Meng Y, Li Y, Chen Y, Cao W, Wang X, Zhong C, Li X Abstract Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide; tobacco smoke (TS) constitutes the main causes of lung cancer. Acquisition of cancer stem cells (CSCs)-like properties is the essential progression for the initiation of lung cancer. However, the mechanisms for tobacco smoke-induced lung carcinogenesis remain elusive. In the present study, we demonstrated that long-term exposure of human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells to TS resulted in malignant transformation and acquisition of CSC-like properties. Moreover, Wnt/β-catenin pathway was involved in acquisition of the CSC-like phenotype during neoplastic transformation of HBE cells induced by TS. Downregulation of β-catenin reduced the tumorsphere and decreased the protein expression of lung CSCs markers in TS-transformated HBE sphere-forming cells. Furthermore, Diallyl trisulfide (DATS) inhibited the CSCs activity of TS-transformed HBE cells, as well as Wnt/β-catenin suppression. Activation of Wnt/β-catenin diminished the inhibitory effects of DATS on TS-induced stemness of HBE cells. Together, the present investigation elucidates the modula...
Source: Toxicology Letters - Category: Toxicology Authors: Tags: Toxicol Lett Source Type: research