Saponins from edible spears of wild asparagus inhibit AKT, p70S6K, and ERK signalling, and induce apoptosis through G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in human colon cancer HCT-116 cells

• Main Authors: Sara Jaramillo, Francisco J.G. Muriana, Rafael Guillen, Ana Jimenez-Araujo, Rocio Rodriguez-Arcos, Sergio Lopez
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2016-10-01
• Series: Journal of Functional Foods
• Subjects: Apoptosis; Asparagus; Cell cycle; Colon cancer; Human; Saponins
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464616301852
• ISSN: 1756-4646

The effects of steroidal saponins from edible spears of wild triguero Huetor-Tajar asparagus on some of the oncogenic molecular pathways that are affected in human colon cancer cells were investigated. Reverse-phase chromatography and a new HPLC-MS method were used to respectively isolate and analyse the composition of the steroidal saponins. They were resistant to simulated digestion and, when in contact with HTC-116 human colon carcinoma cells, interfered with extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), S6 kinase (p70S6K, mTOR), and RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase (AKT) pathways by a downregulation of these proteins. The expressions of cyclins D, E, and A were also decreased, leading to G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. In addition, these steroidal saponins induced typical features of apoptosis by the promotion of caspase-3 activity, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1) cleavage, and DNA fragmentation. These results offer potential dietary intervention strategy against human colon cancer cells.