Fol. Biol. 2022, 68, 16-24

https://doi.org/10.14712/fb2022068010016

C-Phycocyanin Suppresses Cell Proliferation and Promotes Apoptosis by Regulating the AMPK Pathway in NCL-H292 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells

He Chaowen, H. Dongxuan, H. Dongsheng, P. Jianfeng, Y. Fan, C. Yahui, L. Xiaohua

Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Shenzhen, China

Received October 2021
Accepted December 2021

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) results in high mortality and has gained increasing attention. C-Phycocyanin (C-PC) has been identified as a potential therapeutic inhibitor for NSCLC, but its underlying mechanism remains obscure. The gene expression of the long noncoding RNA neighbour of BRCAI RNA 2 (NBR2) in NSCLC cells was evaluated by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. The cell capacity for proliferation and migration was examined by EdU and wound-healing assays. Furthermore, the viability and apoptosis of cells was measured with CCK-8 and annexin V/PI, respectively. Next, the protein level of activation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase and the rapamycin kinase (mTOR) signalling pathway-associated molecules was evaluated by western blotting. H292 cells were pre-treated with C-PC or transfected with plasmids encoding NBR2 or the shNBR2 plasmid, to over-express or knock down NBR2 expression, respectively. NBR2 expression was robustly down-regulated in NSCLC cell lines compared with a normal cell line (BEAS-2B). NBR2 over-expression inhibited migration and promoted apoptosis of H292 cells. Treatment of H292 cells with C-PC enhanced NBR2 levels in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Down-regulation of NBR2 in H292 cells inhibited the activity of C-PC on cell proliferation, viability and clone formation. Further mechanistic investigation showed that the down-regulation of NBR2 abolished the mo­dulatory effects of C-PC on the AMPK/mTOR signalling pathway. In conclusion, C-PC inhibits H292 cell growth by enhancing the NBR2/AMPK signalling path­way.

Keywords

AMPK, C-phycocyanin, mTOR, NSCLC, NBR2.

References

43 live references