Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 15, 2025

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

1.6K

Sodium Propionate Contributes to Tumor Cell Growth Inhibition through PPAR-γ Signaling

Alessia Filippone1, Giovanna Casili1, Sarah Adriana Scuderi1

  • 1Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D׳Alcontres, 31-98166 Messina, Italy.

Cancers
|January 8, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Sodium propionate (SP) activates apoptosis and autophagy in glioblastoma (GBM) cells, inhibiting tumor growth. This effect is mediated by the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ)/short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) axis, offering a potential therapeutic target for GBM.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Glioblastoma (GBM) requires novel therapeutic strategies.
  • Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), like propionate, exhibit anti-tumor properties.
  • Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) ligands show anticancer potential.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the interaction between PPAR-γ and SCFAs in GBM models.
  • To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of sodium propionate (SP) in GBM.

Main Methods:

  • In vitro studies using U87 GBM cell line treated with SP, with PPAR-γ knockdown via siRNA.
  • In vivo studies using U87 xenografts in BALB/c nude mice treated with SP and GW9662.
  • Analysis of apoptosis, autophagy, and cell cycle progression.

Main Results:

  • SP induced apoptosis and promoted autophagy in GBM cells in vitro.
  • PPAR-γ knockdown sensitized GBM cells to SP and abolished its effects.
  • SP reduced tumor growth and altered GBM tissue characteristics in vivo.
  • SP-mediated effects on apoptosis, autophagy, and cell cycle arrest were PPAR-γ-dependent.

Conclusions:

  • The PPAR-γ/SCFA axis is a potential therapeutic target for GBM management.
  • SP demonstrates anti-GBM activity through apoptosis and autophagy induction via PPAR-γ.
  • Targeting the PPAR-γ/SCFA pathway may improve GBM treatment outcomes.
Keywords:
PPAR-γapoptosisautophagyglioblastomashort-chain fatty acids

More Related Videos

Synthesis and Characterization of an Aspirin-fumarate Prodrug that Inhibits NFκB Activity and Breast Cancer Stem Cells13:38

Synthesis and Characterization of an Aspirin-fumarate Prodrug that Inhibits NFκB Activity and Breast Cancer Stem Cells

Published on: January 18, 2017

12.3K
Hyperpolarized 13C Metabolic Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Imaging11:43

Hyperpolarized 13C Metabolic Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Imaging

Published on: December 30, 2016

10.6K

Related Concept Videos

Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the...
4.6K
Negative Regulator Molecules01:23

Negative Regulator Molecules

Positive regulators allow a cell to advance through cell cycle checkpoints. Negative regulators have an equally important role as they terminate a cell’s progression through the cell cycle—or pause it—until the cell meets specific criteria.
35.5K
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...
3.8K
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...
3.8K
Cell Specific Gene Expression01:58

Cell Specific Gene Expression

Multicellular organisms contain a variety of structurally and functionally distinct cell types, but the DNA in all the cells originated from the same parent cells. The differences in the cells can be attributed to the differential gene expression. Liver cells, whose functions include detoxification of blood, production of bile to metabolize fats, and synthesis of proteins essential for metabolism, must express a specific set of genes to perform their functions. Gene expression also varies with...
13.7K