Exploring the Anti-Cancer Effects of Fish Bone Fermented Using Monascus purpureus: Induction of Apoptosis and Autophagy in Human Colorectal Cancer Cells

• Published in: Molecules Vol. 28; no. 15; p. 5679
• Main Authors: Chen, Ya-Ting, Chen, Shu-Jen, Hu, Chun-Yi, Dong, Cheng-Di, Chen, Chiu-Wen, Singhania, Reeta Rani, Hsieh, Shu-Ling
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 27.07.2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Amino acids; Animals; anti-cancer; Apoptosis; Autophagy; Cancer therapies; Cell cycle; Cell division; Cell growth; Cell Line, Tumor; Colorectal cancer; Colorectal Neoplasms - drug therapy; Fermentation; fish bone; fish bone; Monascus purpureus; apoptosis; autophagy; anti-cancer; Humans; Kinases; Monascus; Monascus purpureus; Organic chemistry; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; Protein expression; Proteins; QD241-441; Monascus purpureus; apoptosis; fish bone; autophagy; anti-cancer
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules28155679

Fish bone fermented using Monascus purpureus (FBF) has total phenols and functional amino acids that contribute to its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Colorectal cancer, one of the most prevalent cancers and the third largest cause of death worldwide, has become a serious threat to global health. This study investigates the anti-cancer effects of FBF (1, 2.5 or 5 mg/mL) on the cell growth and molecular mechanism of HCT-116 cells. The HCT-116 cell treatment with 2.5 or 5 mg/mL of FBF for 24 h significantly decreased cell viability (p < 0.05). The S and G2/M phases significantly increased by 88–105% and 25–43%, respectively (p < 0.05). Additionally, FBF increased the mRNA expression of caspase 8 (38–77%), protein expression of caspase 3 (34–94%), poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) (31–34%) and induced apoptosis (236–773%) of HCT-116 cells (p < 0.05). FBF also increased microtubule-associated protein 1B light chain 3 (LC3) (38–48%) and phosphoinositide 3 kinase class III (PI3K III) (32–53%) protein expression, thereby inducing autophagy (26–52%) of HCT-116 cells (p < 0.05). These results showed that FBF could inhibit HCT-116 cell growth by inducing S and G2/M phase arrest of the cell cycle, apoptosis and autophagy. Thus, FBF has the potential to treat colorectal cancer.