Comparison of effects of P-coumaric acid and coumarin on colorectal cancer cell line by inducing apoptosis and autophagy

Hoveizi, Elham; Hushmandi, Kiavash

doi:10.22038/ajp.2024.24194

Comparison of effects of P-coumaric acid and coumarin on colorectal cancer cell line by inducing apoptosis and autophagy

Document Type : Original Research Article

Authors

Elham Hoveizi ¹
Kiavash Hushmandi ²

¹ Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

² Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

10.22038/ajp.2024.24194

Abstract

Objective: Autophagy, as a cellular pathway involved in removing damaged proteins and organelles, performs a vital function in the homeostasis and fate of cells. Natural compounds of coumarin (CO) are found in a variety of herbs. Due to their many medicinal properties, including antitumor and anti-proliferative activity, they are involved in apoptosis and autophagy processes. This investigation desired to analyze the apoptotic and autophagic effects of p-coumaric acid (PCA) and CO on HT-29 cells cultured in fibrin hydrogel.
Materials and Methods: Cell viability and apoptotic and autophagic changes were evaluated by MTT assay, Acridine Orange, 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), and monodansylcadaverine (MDC) staining. The expression Bax, Bad, Bcl2, Lc3, Beclin-1, P53 and Atg5 was respectively measured by qRT-PCR and Western blotting.
Results: CO (IC50=25 μM) and PCA (IC50=150 μM) had a dose- and time-dependent cytotoxic effect in HT-29 cells. So, the cytotoxic effects of CO were significantly higher than PCA and these differences were also evident in cell morphology investigations. The data illustrated a high expression of pro-apoptotic and pro-autophagic genes and a declined expression of anti-apoptotic and anti-autophagic genes.
Conclusion: CO (that was more potent) and p-coumaric acid-induced autophagy via PI3K/Akt/mTOR and AMPK/mTOR signaling on HT-29 cells.

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