The study of the effects of Cucurbitacin E from Ecballium elaterium (L.) A. Rich on LC- 3 gene expression in human gastric cancer cell line AGS

Medicinal plants are both used as phytotherapy and to isolate phytochemicals with interesting pharmacological features. Ecballium elaterium is a plant indigenous to the Mediterranean region that produces cucurbitacin molecules. Cucurbitacins target several signaling pathways and exhibit a range of anti-cancer functions. In this study, we investigated the effects of cucurbitacin E purified from E. elaterium fruits on LC-3 gene expression in AGS cell line. Using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), the expression of the LC-3 gene was quantified in AGS cells 24 hours after treatment with cucurbitacin E. Purified cucurbitacin E upregulated LC-3 in AGS cells (p-value <0.05). In conclusion, cucurbitacin E purified from E. elaterium fruits upregulates LC-3 gene in human gastric cancer cell line AGS. The present study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying cucurbitacin-mediated cell death in gastric cancer

Keywords:

Cucurbitacin E , Cancer , LC-3 gene , E.elaterium