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Abstract
Sesquilignans PD is a natural phenylpropanoid compound that was isolated from Zanthoxylum nitidum var. tomentosum. In this study, we assessed the antitumor effect of PD on SK-Hep-1 and HepG2 cells and the underlying molecular mechanisms. The results revealed that PD markedly inhibited the proliferation and migration of both liver cancer cells. Moreover, PD induced apoptosis, autophagy, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in liver cancer cells. Notably, PD increased the protein levels of p-p38 MAPK and p-ERK1/2 in liver cancer cells. This is the first report on the anticancer effect of PD, which is mediated via increased ROS production and MAPK signaling activation.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Additional information
Funding
This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21977021, 81760626, and 22111530012), Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi Province (AB17292075), Guangxi Funds for Distinguished Experts, and the Open Fund of Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources Chemistry and Biotechnology (2022KF04).