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Quercetin and Luteolin Improve the Anticancer Effects of 5-Fluorouracil in Human Colorectal Adenocarcinoma In Vitro Model: A Mechanistic Insight

M. Erdoğan, C. Agca, H. Aşkın

Nutrition and Cancer, 2021

49 citations

Abstract

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the antitumor effects of quercetin and luteolin combined with 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) in HT-29 human colorectal cancer cells. Cell viability induced by quercetin, luteolin and combination of these compounds with 5-FU were determined by MTT assay, also Cell death detection Elisa assay and fluorescence microscopy were performed to investigate apoptotic effects. Hu-VEGF Elisa assay was employed to determine the effects of treatments on angiogenesis. Western blot and qRT-PCR analysis were performed to investigate effects on p53, Bax, Bcl-2, p38 MAPK, mTOR, PTEN, and Akt proteins and genes. The results indicated that quercetin, luteolin and combinations of these compounds with 5-FU inhibited the growth of HT 29 cells. Compared to the control, apoptosis were triggered 8.1 and 10.1 fold in HT-29 cells, that treated with quercetin + 5-FU and luteolin + 5-FU, respectively. VEGF amount significantly decreased by combined treatments. qRT-PCR and western blot results demonstrated that quercetin, luteolin and the combinations of these flavonoids with 5-FU, modulate the apoptotic pathways in HT-29 cells. The increase in p53, Bax, p38 MAPK, and PTEN gene expression levels compared to the control group was 1.71, 1.42, 3.26, and 3.29-fold with 5-FU + L treatment, respectively, while this increase was 8.43, 1.65, 3.55, and 3.54-fold with 5-FU + Q treatment, respectively. In addition, when the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, mTOR, and Akt gene expression…

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