Volume 37, Issue 7 pp. 2995-3008
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Destruction of the cellular antioxidant pool contributes to resveratrol-induced senescence and apoptosis in lung cancer

Chunhua Liang

Chunhua Liang

Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

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Kefan Yi

Kefan Yi

Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

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Xu Zhou

Xu Zhou

Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

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Xiaoting Li

Xiaoting Li

Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

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Caiyun Zhong

Caiyun Zhong

Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

Cancer Research Division, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

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Hui Cao

Corresponding Author

Hui Cao

Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

Correspondence

Jianyun Zhu, Department of Laboratory, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, 242 Guangji Road, Jiangsu 215008, China.

Email: [email protected]

Chunfeng Xie, Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, 101 Longmian Ave, Jiangning, Nanjing 211166, China.

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Hui Cao, Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.

Email: [email protected]

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Chunfeng Xie

Corresponding Author

Chunfeng Xie

Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

Correspondence

Jianyun Zhu, Department of Laboratory, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, 242 Guangji Road, Jiangsu 215008, China.

Email: [email protected]

Chunfeng Xie, Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, 101 Longmian Ave, Jiangning, Nanjing 211166, China.

Email: [email protected]

Hui Cao, Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.

Email: [email protected]

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Jianyun Zhu

Corresponding Author

Jianyun Zhu

Department of Laboratory, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China

Correspondence

Jianyun Zhu, Department of Laboratory, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, 242 Guangji Road, Jiangsu 215008, China.

Email: [email protected]

Chunfeng Xie, Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, 101 Longmian Ave, Jiangning, Nanjing 211166, China.

Email: [email protected]

Hui Cao, Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.

Email: [email protected]

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First published: 03 March 2023
Citations: 5

Chunhua Liang and Kefan Yi contributed equally to this work.

Abstract

Resveratrol (RES) has various pharmacological bioactivities and its anticancer effects in lung cancer have been proven. However, the underlying mechanisms of action of RES in lung cancer remain unclear. This study focused on Nrf2-mediated antioxidant systems in RES-treated lung cancer cells. A549 and H1299 cells were treated with various concentrations of RES at different times. RES decreased cell viability, inhibited cell proliferation, and increased the number of senescent and apoptotic cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Moreover, RES-induced lung cancer cell arrest at the G1 phase was accompanied by changes in apoptotic proteins (Bax, Bcl-2, and cleaved caspase 3). Furthermore, RES induced a senescent phenotype along with changes in senescence-related markers (senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity, p21, and p-γH2AX). More importantly, with prolonged exposure time and increased exposure concentration, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) continuously accumulated, resulting in a decrease in Nrf2 and its downstream antioxidant response elements, including CAT, HO-1, NQO1, and SOD1. Meanwhile, RES-induced ROS accumulation and cell apoptosis were reversed by N-acetyl-l-cysteine treatment. Taken together, these results suggest that RES disturb lung cancer cellular homeostasis by destroying the intracellular antioxidant pool to increase ROS production. Our findings provide a new perspective on RES intervention in lung cancer.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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