The Green Walnut Husks Induces Apoptosis of Colorectal Cancer through Regulating NLRC3/PI3K Pathway

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common type of gastrointestinal tumor, but the available pharmacological treatment is insufficient. As a traditional Chinese medicine, the green walnut husks (QLY) exhibit anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-bacterial and anti-tumor effects. However, the effects and molecular mechanisms of QLY extracts on CRC were not yet made known. Objective: This study aims to provide efficient and low toxicity drugs for the treatment of CRC. The purpose of this study is to explore the anti-CRC effect and mechanism of QLY, providing preliminary data support for clinical research of QLY. Methods: Western blotting, Flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, Transwell, MTT, Cell proliferation assay, and xenograft model were used to perform the research. Results: In this study, the potential of QLY to inhibit the proliferation, migration invasion and induce apoptosis of the mouse colorectal cancer cell line CT26 in vitro was identified. The xenograft tumor model of CRC noted that QLY suppressed tumor growth without sacrificing body weight in mice. In addition, QLY-induced apoptosis in tumor cells through NLRC3/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was revealed. Conclusion: QLY regulates the levels of mTOR, Bcl-2 and Bax by affecting the NLRC3/PI3K/AKT pathway to promote apoptosis of tumor cells, suppressing cell proliferation, invasion and migration, and subsequently preventing the progression of colon cancer.