Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 17, 2026

Author Spotlight: Exploring Salidroside's Molecular Mechanisms in Breast Cancer Treatment
11:13

Author Spotlight: Exploring Salidroside's Molecular Mechanisms in Breast Cancer Treatment

Published on: June 9, 2023

2.6K

TRAIL pathway is associated with inhibition of colon cancer by protopanaxadiol

Zhiyu Zhang1, Zejuan Li2, Xiaohui Wu1

  • 1Tang Center for Herbal Medicine Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Anesthesia & Critical Care, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.

Journal of Pharmacological Sciences
|February 24, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Protopanaxadiol (PPD), a compound from American ginseng, effectively inhibits colon cancer growth in vivo and in vitro. It works by inducing apoptosis and regulating the TRAIL pathway, making it a promising therapeutic agent.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • American ginseng contains bioactive compounds with anticancer properties.
  • Protopanaxadiol (PPD) exhibits significant anticancer potential among ginseng saponins.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the in vivo and in vitro anticancer effects of PPD.
  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying PPD's action in colorectal cancer.

Main Methods:

  • In vivo mouse cancer model and human colorectal cancer cell lines (HCT-116) were used.
  • Gene expression profiling was performed using Affymetrix GeneChips.
  • Ingenuity pathway analysis was employed to identify targeted pathways.

Main Results:

  • PPD demonstrated significant inhibition of cancer cell growth by inducing G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.
  • Microarray analysis revealed altered expression of 76 genes (52 upregulated, 24 downregulated).
  • PPD regulates the tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) pathway, involving interactions between p53 and DR4/DR5.

Conclusions:

  • PPD is a potent inhibitor of colon cancer growth.
  • The TRAIL pathway, modulated by p53 and DR4/DR5 interactions, is crucial for PPD's anticancer activity.
Keywords:
ApoptosisGene expressionHuman colorectal cancerMicroarrayPanax quinquefoliusProtopanaxadiolTumor necrosis factorXenograft

More Related Videos

Development and Maintenance of a Preclinical Patient Derived Tumor Xenograft Model for the Investigation of Novel Anti-Cancer Therapies09:29

Development and Maintenance of a Preclinical Patient Derived Tumor Xenograft Model for the Investigation of Novel Anti-Cancer Therapies

Published on: September 30, 2016

14.6K
Author Spotlight: Liujunzi Decoction as a Traditional Chinese Treatment for Coloproctitis Cancer06:24

Author Spotlight: Liujunzi Decoction as a Traditional Chinese Treatment for Coloproctitis Cancer

Published on: October 13, 2023

1.8K

Related Concept Videos

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
8.0K
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway01:22

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin  (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1  (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2  (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast,  mTORC2 consists of a...
6.5K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
5.1K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

1.8K
Tumor Progression02:07

Tumor Progression

Tumor progression is a phenomenon where the pre-formed tumor acquires successive mutations to become clinically more aggressive and malignant. In the 1950s, Foulds first described the stepwise progression of cancer cells through successive stages.
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
8.0K
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
9.2K