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Methylsulfonylmethane suppresses hepatic tumor development through activation of apoptosis
Joo-Hyun Kim1, Hye-Jun Shin1, Hye-Lin Ha1
1Joo-Hyun Kim, Hye-Jun Shin, Hye-Lin Ha, Young-Ho Park, Tae-Ho Kwon, Mi-Ra Jung, Dae-Yeul Yu, Aging Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 305-806, South Korea.
Aim:
To investigate the effect of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), recently reported to have anti-cancer effects, in liver cancer cells and transgenic mice.
Methods:
Three liver cancer cell lines, HepG2, Huh7-Mock and Huh7-H-ras (G12V), were used. Cell growth was measured by Cell Counting Kit-8 and soft agar assay. Western blot analysis was used to detect caspases, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) expressions. For in vivo study, we administered MSM to H-ras (12V) transgenic mice for 3 mo.
Results:
MSM decreased the growth of HepG2, Huh7-Mock and Huh7-H-ras (G12V) cells in a dose-dependent manner. That was correlated with significantly increased apoptosis and reduced cell numbers in MSM treated cells. Cleaved caspase-8, cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved PARP were remarkably increased in the liver cancer cells treated with 500 mmol/L of MSM; however, Bcl-2 was slightly decreased in 500 mmol/L. Liver tumor development was greatly inhibited in the H-ras (12V) transgenic mice treated with MSM, compared to control, by showing reduced tumor size and number. Cleaved PARP was significantly increased in non-tumor treated with MSM compared to control.
Conclusion:
Liver injury was also significantly attenuated in the mice treated with MSM. Taken together, all the results suggest that MSM has anti-cancer effects through inducing apoptosis in liver cancer.
Insights
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) demonstrated anti-cancer properties by inhibiting liver cancer cell growth and reducing tumor development in mice. MSM treatment significantly increased apoptosis, indicating its potential as a therapeutic agent for liver cancer.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a sulfur-containing compound with emerging evidence suggesting anti-cancer properties.
- Liver cancer remains a significant global health challenge, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the anti-cancer effects of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in liver cancer cell lines and a transgenic mouse model.
- To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying MSM's potential anti-cancer activity, focusing on apoptosis induction.
Main Methods:
- Utilized three liver cancer cell lines (HepG2, Huh7-Mock, Huh7-H-ras) and a H-ras (12V) transgenic mouse model.
- Assessed cell growth via Cell Counting Kit-8 and soft agar assays.
- Analyzed protein expression of caspases, PARP, and Bcl-2 using Western blot; evaluated tumor development in vivo.
Main Results:
- MSM dose-dependently inhibited liver cancer cell growth, increased apoptosis, and reduced cell numbers.
- Treatment with MSM led to increased cleaved caspase-8, cleaved caspase-3, and cleaved PARP, with a slight decrease in Bcl-2.
- MSM significantly inhibited liver tumor development in transgenic mice, reducing tumor size and number, and attenuated liver injury.
Conclusions:
- MSM exhibits significant anti-cancer effects against liver cancer in vitro and in vivo.
- The anti-cancer mechanism of MSM involves the induction of apoptosis in liver cancer cells.
- MSM demonstrates potential as a therapeutic agent for liver cancer, with protective effects against liver injury.
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