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Apigenin inhibits HeLa sphere-forming cells through inactivation of casein kinase 2α

Jie Liu1, Xiao-Cheng Cao2, Qiao Xiao2

  • 1Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, P.R. China.

Molecular Medicine Reports
|October 22, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Apigenin, a flavonoid, inhibits cervical cancer stem-like cell self-renewal by reducing casein kinase 2 alpha (CK2α) protein levels. This suggests CK2α is a key target for apigenin in cervical cancer therapy.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Casein kinase 2 (CK2) plays a role in stem cell maintenance and is aberrantly activated in cancers, including cervical cancer.
  • Cervical cancer stem-like cells (SFCs) possess self-renewal capacity, contributing to tumor growth and recurrence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of CK2α in the self-renewal of HeLa-derived cervical cancer stem-like cells.
  • To evaluate the effect of apigenin, a dietary flavonoid, on the self-renewal capacity and CK2α expression in these cells.

Main Methods:

  • Characterization of HeLa-derived sphere-forming cells (SFCs) for self-renewal capacity.
  • Quantification of CK2α protein levels in SFCs and parental cells.
  • Treatment of SFCs with varying doses of apigenin.
  • Forced overexpression of CK2α in SFCs to assess its role in apigenin's effects.

Main Results:

  • HeLa-derived SFCs demonstrated self-renewal capacity and higher CK2α protein expression than parental cells.
  • Apigenin inhibited SFC self-renewal and reduced CK2α protein expression in a dose-dependent manner.
  • Forced CK2α overexpression partially reversed the inhibitory effects of apigenin on self-renewal and CK2α expression.

Conclusions:

  • Apigenin effectively inhibits the self-renewal capacity of cervical cancer stem-like cells.
  • The mechanism involves the downregulation of CK2α protein expression.
  • CK2α is a potential therapeutic target for apigenin in treating cervical cancer.

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