Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Through the Looking Glass: Time-lapse Microscopy and Longitudinal Tracking of Single Cells to Study Anti-cancer Therapeutics
06:00

Through the Looking Glass: Time-lapse Microscopy and Longitudinal Tracking of Single Cells to Study Anti-cancer Therapeutics

Published on: May 14, 2016

PEITC induces G1 cell cycle arrest on HT-29 cells through the activation of p38 MAPK signaling pathway

Ka Lung Cheung1, Tin Oo Khor, Siwang Yu

  • 1Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Science, Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA.

The AAPS Journal
|May 14, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) from cruciferous vegetables induces G1 cell cycle arrest in colon cancer cells. This occurs via the p38 MAPK pathway, down-regulating cyclins and pRb.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) is a compound found in cruciferous vegetables.
  • PEITC has demonstrated the ability to induce apoptosis in cancer cells, particularly through the MAPK pathway.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of PEITC on cell cycle regulation in HT-29 colon cancer cells.
  • To elucidate the specific molecular mechanisms underlying PEITC's impact on cell cycle progression.

Main Methods:

  • Flow cytometry was employed to analyze cell cycle distribution.
  • Western blot analysis was used to assess protein expression levels, including cyclins and pRb.
  • Specific inhibitors were utilized to probe the role of the p38 MAPK pathway.

Main Results:

  • PEITC treatment resulted in a significant G1 cell cycle arrest in HT-29 cells.
  • The cell cycle arrest was dependent on the activation of the p38 MAPK pathway.
  • PEITC caused a dose-dependent down-regulation of cyclins A, D, E, and pRb protein expression.

Conclusions:

  • PEITC effectively arrests HT-29 colon cancer cells in the G1 phase.
  • This G1 arrest is mediated by the activation of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway.
  • PEITC exerts its cell cycle inhibitory effects through the down-regulation of key cell cycle regulatory proteins, including cyclins.

More Related Videos

Studying Cell Cycle-regulated Gene Expression by Two Complementary Cell Synchronization Protocols12:02

Studying Cell Cycle-regulated Gene Expression by Two Complementary Cell Synchronization Protocols

Published on: June 6, 2017

Analysis of Cell Cycle Position in Mammalian Cells12:19

Analysis of Cell Cycle Position in Mammalian Cells

Published on: January 21, 2012

Related Concept Videos

Negative Regulator Molecules01:23

Negative Regulator Molecules

Positive regulators allow a cell to advance through cell cycle checkpoints. Negative regulators have an equally important role as they terminate a cell’s progression through the cell cycle—or pause it—until the cell meets specific criteria.
DNA Damage can Stall the Cell Cycle02:36

DNA Damage can Stall the Cell Cycle

In response to DNA damage, cells can pause the cell cycle to assess and repair the breaks. However, the cell must check the DNA at certain critical stages during the cell cycle. If the cell cycle pauses before DNA replication, the cells will contain twice the amount of DNA. On the other hand, if cells arrest after DNA replication but before mitosis, they will contain four times the normal amount of DNA. With a host of specialized proteins at their disposal,cells must use the right protein at...
DNA Damage Can Stall the Cell Cycle02:36

DNA Damage Can Stall the Cell Cycle

In response to DNA damage, cells can pause the cell cycle to assess and repair the breaks. However, the cell must check the DNA at certain critical stages during the cell cycle. If the cell cycle pauses before DNA replication, the cells will contain twice the amount of DNA. On the other hand, if cells arrest after DNA replication but before mitosis, they will contain four times the normal amount of DNA. With a host of specialized proteins at their disposal,cells must use the right protein at...
Inhibition of Cdk Activity02:34

Inhibition of Cdk Activity

The orderly progression of the cell cycle depends on the activation of Cdk protein by binding to its cyclin partner. However, the cell cycle must be restricted when undergoing abnormal changes. Most cancers correlate to the deregulated cell cycle, and since Cdks are a central component of the cell cycle, Cdk inhibitors are extensively studied to develop anticancer agents. For instance, cyclin D associates with several Cdks, such as Cdk 4/6, to form an active complex. The cyclin D-Cdk4/6 complex...
Inhibition of CDK Activity02:34

Inhibition of CDK Activity

The orderly progression of the cell cycle depends on the activation of Cdk protein by binding to its cyclin partner. However, the cell cycle must be restricted when undergoing abnormal changes. Most cancers correlate to the deregulated cell cycle, and since Cdks are a central component of the cell cycle, Cdk inhibitors are extensively studied to develop anticancer agents. For instance, cyclin D associates with several Cdks, such as Cdk 4/6, to form an active complex. The cyclin D-Cdk4/6 complex...
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...