Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 13, 2025

Quantitative Analysis of Autophagy using Advanced 3D Fluorescence Microscopy
09:59

Quantitative Analysis of Autophagy using Advanced 3D Fluorescence Microscopy

Published on: May 3, 2013

17.9K

Morin promotes autophagy in human PC3 prostate cancer cells by modulating AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 signaling pathway

Fereshtesadat Fakhredini1, Hadis Alidadi2, Masoud Mahdavinia3

  • 1Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Medical Basic Sciences Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

Tissue & Cell
|September 12, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Morin, a natural compound, combats prostate cancer by triggering programmed cell death (apoptosis) and autophagy. It activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and ULK1 while inhibiting mTOR, leading to cancer cell death.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) plays a crucial role in suppressing tumor growth by regulating autophagy and apoptosis.
  • Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer progression is vital for developing effective therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of Morin on PC3 prostate cancer cells.
  • To elucidate the role of the AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 pathway and autophagy in Morin-induced anti-cancer effects.

Main Methods:

  • PC3 cells were treated with Morin and AICAR (an AMPK activator).
  • Assessed cell viability, apoptosis (DAPI staining, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, Caspase activity, Annexin V/PI), and autophagy markers (LC3B/LC3A ratio, Acridine Orange staining, Beclin-1, ATG5, p62).
  • Analyzed protein levels of p-AMPK, p-ULK1, and p-mTOR.

Main Results:

  • Morin significantly reduced PC3 cell viability and induced apoptosis.
  • Morin treatment increased p-AMPK and p-ULK1 levels while decreasing p-mTOR expression.
  • Morin promoted autophagy, evidenced by increased LC3B/LC3A ratio and Beclin-1/ATG5 expression, and decreased p62 levels.
  • AICAR enhanced Morin's anti-cancer effects, further supporting the role of AMPK activation.

Conclusions:

  • Morin induces apoptotic and autophagic cell death in PC3 prostate cancer cells.
  • The mechanism involves the activation of the AMPK/ULK1 pathway and suppression of the mTOR pathway.
  • Morin shows potential as a therapeutic agent for prostate cancer.
Keywords:
AMPKApoptosisAutophagyMorinProstate cancer

More Related Videos

Mechanism of Kemeng Fang's Inhibition of Podocyte Apoptosis in Rats with Membranous Nephropathy through the PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway07:15

Mechanism of Kemeng Fang's Inhibition of Podocyte Apoptosis in Rats with Membranous Nephropathy through the PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway

Published on: August 23, 2024

357
Automated Imaging and Analysis for the Quantification of Fluorescently Labeled Macropinosomes11:01

Automated Imaging and Analysis for the Quantification of Fluorescently Labeled Macropinosomes

Published on: August 24, 2021

2.7K

Related Concept Videos

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
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...
3.4K
Autophagy01:27

Autophagy

Autophagy is a self-digesting process by which a cell protects itself from threats both within and outside the cell, ranging from abnormal proteins to invading bacteria. In this process, obsolete components of the cell and invading microbes are degraded by hydrolytic enzymes active in an acidic environment of the lysosomal lumen.
An autophagic pathway consists of a series of signaling events activated in response to diverse stress and physiological conditions such as food deprivation,...
4.2K
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...
4.5K
MAPK Signaling Cascades01:07

MAPK Signaling Cascades

Mitogen-activated protein kinase, or MAPK pathway, activates three sequential kinases to regulate cellular responses such as proliferation, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis. The canonical MAPK pathway starts with a mitogen or growth factor binding to an RTK. The activated RTKs stimulate Ras, which recruits Raf or MAP3 Kinase (MAPKKK), the first kinase of the MAPK signaling cascade. Raf further phosphorylates and activates MEK or MAP2 Kinases (MAPKK), which in turn phosphorylates MAP...
5.3K
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...
6.2K