Phenethyl Isothiocyanate Inhibits The Growth Of Colon Cancer Cells And Promotes Their Apoptosis Through The Smac/Survivin Pathway

Phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) inhibits tumor cell growth and proliferation through a variety of mechanisms. In this paper, we describe the effect and mechanism of PEITC action on the proliferation and apoptosis of colon cancer cell lines SW620 and HCT116. PEITC greatly decreased the proliferation of both SW620 and HCT116 cells, and the inhibition rate was proportional to the concentration of the compound and treatment time. An increase in apoptosis and a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) of the SW620 and HCT116 cells after treatment with PEITC was shown using flow cytometry. DAPI staining was used to visualize the typical morphological changes of apoptosis and down-regulation of mitochondrial apoptosis pathway-related proteins in the SW620 and HCT116 cells after treatment with PEITC. In addition, the average volume and average weight of tumors in mice transplanted with SW620 and HCT116 cells were significantly reduced, and the expressions of apoptosis-related proteins were also inhibited after PEITC treatment. PEITC inhibits the binding of second mitochondrial-derived caspase activator (Smac) and survivin in mitochondria, causing Smac and survivin to enter the cytoplasm, which in turn activate the apoptosis pathway of colon cancer cells. We have found that PEITC inhibits the proliferation and colony formation of colon cancer cells and induces apoptosis; PEITC regulates the apoptosis of colorectal cancer cells through the Smac/survivin signaling pathway.