δ-tocotrienol induces human bladder cancer cell growth arrest, apoptosis and chemosensitization through inhibition of STAT3 pathway

PLoS One. 2015 Apr 7;10(4):e0122712. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122712. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Vitamin E intake has been implicated in reduction of bladder cancer risk. However, the mechanisms remain elusive. Here we reported that δ-tocotrienol (δ-T3), one of vitamin E isomers, possessed the most potent cytotoxic capacity against human bladder cancer cells, compared with other Vitamin E isomers. δ-T3 inhibited cancer cell proliferation and colonogenicity through induction of G1 phase arrest and apoptosis. Western blotting assay revealed that δ-T3 increased the expression levels of cell cycle inhibitors (p21, p27), pro-apoptotic protein (Bax) and suppressed expression levels of cell cycle protein (Cyclin D1), anti-apoptotic proteins (Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and Mcl-1), resulting in the Caspase-3 activation and cleavage of PARP. Moreover, the δ-T3 treatment inhibited ETK phosphorylation level and induced SHP-1 expression, which was correlated with downregulation of STAT3 activation. In line with this, δ-T3 reduced the STAT3 protein level in nuclear fraction, as well as its transcription activity. Knockdown of SHP-1 partially reversed δ-T3-induced cell growth arrest. Importantly, low dose of δ-T3 sensitized Gemcitabine-induced cytotoxic effects on human bladder cancer cells. Overall, our findings demonstrated, for the first time, the cytotoxic effects of δ-T3 on bladder cancer cells and suggest that δ-T3 might be a promising chemosensitization reagent for Gemcitabine in bladder cancer treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Active Transport, Cell Nucleus
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis
  • Cell Cycle Checkpoints
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Deoxycytidine / analogs & derivatives
  • Deoxycytidine / pharmacology
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • Gemcitabine
  • Humans
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 6 / metabolism
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / pathology
  • Vitamin E / analogs & derivatives*
  • Vitamin E / pharmacology

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor
  • STAT3 protein, human
  • Deoxycytidine
  • Vitamin E
  • tocotrienol, delta
  • BMX protein, human
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • PTPN6 protein, human
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 6
  • Gemcitabine

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (2011CB944104), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81172009, 81372168), Doctoral Fund of Ministry of Education of China (20110091120028) to Dr. J. Yan. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.