Morusin exerts anti-cancer activity in renal cell carcinoma by disturbing MAPK signaling pathways

Background: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has gradually become a severe type of kidney malignant tumor, which warrants an urgent need for highly efficacious therapeutic agents. Morusin, a typical prenylated flavonoid, has been revealed to possess anticarcinogenic effects against several cancers by inhibiting cell proliferation and tumorigenesis.

Methods: Cells proliferation was examined by CCK-8. Migration assays were performed using a 24-well transwell chamber. Apoptotic cells were detected using the Annexin V PE/7-AAD Apoptosis detection kit. Cell cycle analysis was carried out by flow cytometry. Western blotting and quantitative real time (qRT) PCR were used to exam the change of target gene in mRNA and protein level. Nude mouse xenograft experiments were performed to identify vivo function of morusin.

Results: Here, we evaluated the effect of morusin against RCC. We treated three RCC cell lines, 769-P, 786-O, and OSRC-2, with morusin to study its effects on cell growth, migration, Apoptosis, cell cycle and cancer-related pathways. Additionally, we assessed the effects of morusin on tumor growth using a nude mouse model. Morusin could inhibit cell growth and migration, induce cell Apoptosis and downregulate apoptosis-related proteins, and disturb the cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase. Additionally, morusin could suppress RCC tumorigenesis in vivo. Moreover, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal pathways were found to be involved in morusin-induced anti-cancer activity. P-p38 and P-JNK levels were up-regulated by morusin, while the ERK phosphorylation level was down-regulated.

Conclusions: Our results show that morusin could inhibit the growth of RCC cells in vitro and in vivo through MAPK signal pathways. Thus, morusin could be a potential anti-cancer agent for RCC.