Propranolol inhibits stemness of hemangioma through Jagged1

Propranolol is used clinically to treat infantile hemangioma (IH), although the exact mechanism that underlies its effectiveness is not fully understood. The Jagged1/Notch signaling pathway is downstream of the β2-adrenergic receptor (β2-AR). Propranolol is a non-selective β2-AR blocker that was shown to inhibit demethylation adrenaline-induced Jagged1 expression. A previous study has shown that propranolol dose-dependently inhibits the growth of IH. However, the effects of propranolol on stemness of IH are not known and are thus addressed in the current study.

We analyzed the expression of Jagged1 and Notch3 in IH specimens, using genetic tools to alter Notch signaling. The transduced IH cells were treated with different doses of propranolol, and the effects on IH cell proliferation, migration, and potential for tumor sphere formation were investigated. The effects of altered Notch signaling on tumor formation in vivo were also assessed.

Notch3 and Jagged1 were significantly upregulated in IH. Augmented Notch signaling in IH cells increased cell proliferation, migration, the potential for tumor sphere formation and in vivo tumor formation. On the other hand, reduced Notch signaling in IH cells decreased cell proliferation, migration, the potential for tumor sphere formation and in vivo tumor formation.

Jagged1/Notch signaling regulated the stemness of IH, and propranolol inhibited it through suppression of Notch signaling.