Leonurine-Repressed miR-18a-5p/SOCS5/JAK2/STAT3 Axis Activity Disrupts CML malignancy

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Molecular Biology
• Oncology

Background:

• Leonurine, a natural alkaloid from Herba leonuri, shows anticancer potential in solid tumors.
• Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a malignancy requiring novel therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of leonurine against chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).
• To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying leonurine's anti-leukemic effects.

Main Methods:

• Cell proliferation, migration, colony formation, and apoptosis assays were performed on CML cells.
• In vivo studies using CML xenografts were conducted.
• Quantitative real-time PCR, Western blotting, and siRNA were used to analyze gene and protein expression and regulatory pathways (miR-18a-5p, SOCS5, JAK2/STAT3).

Main Results:

• Leonurine inhibited CML cell proliferation, migration, and colony formation while promoting apoptosis.
• Leonurine reduced CML xenograft growth in vivo.
• Leonurine upregulated SOCS5 expression and suppressed JAK2/STAT3 signaling, an effect mediated by SOCS5.
• Leonurine decreased miR-18a-5p expression, which targets SOCS5, thereby relieving SOCS5 repression.

Conclusions:

• Leonurine demonstrates significant anti-leukemic activity against CML.
• The anti-leukemic effect of leonurine is mediated through the miR-18a-5p/SOCS5/JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.