Emodin is a Potential Drug Targeting CD44-positive Hepatocellular Cancer

• Published in: Current cancer drug targets Vol. 24; no. 5; p. 510
• Main Authors: Gao, Yuan, Li, Youling, Zhu, Yunhe, Luo, Qiao, Lu, Yifeng, Wen, Ke, Du, Boyu, Xi, Xueyan, Li, Gang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands 01-01-2024
• Subjects: Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - metabolism; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - pathology; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Movement - drug effects; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Emodin - pharmacology; Hep G2 Cells; Humans; Hyaluronan Receptors - metabolism; Liver Neoplasms - drug therapy; Liver Neoplasms - metabolism; Liver Neoplasms - pathology; Neoplastic Stem Cells - drug effects; Neoplastic Stem Cells - metabolism; Neoplastic Stem Cells - pathology; Emodin; liver cancer; cancer stem cells; CD44; hepatocellular carcinoma; stemness
• ISSN: 1873-5576
• DOI: 10.2174/0115680096256913231101103719

Liver cancer is one of the most prevalent forms of cancer of the digestive system in our country. The most common subtype of this disease is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Currently, treatment options for HCC patients include surgical resection, liver transplantation, radiofrequency ablation, chemoembolization, and biologic-targeted therapy. However, the efficacy of these treatments is suboptimal, as they are prone to drug resistance, metastasis, spread, and recurrence. These attributes are closely related to cancer stem cells (CSCs). Therefore, the utilization of drugs targeting CSCs may effectively inhibit the development and recurrence of HCC.
HepG2 and Huh7 cells were used to analyze the antitumor activity of emodin by quantifying cell growth and metastasis, as well as to study its effect on stemness.
Emodin effectively suppressed the growth and movement of HCC cells. Emodin also significantly inhibited the proliferation of CD44-positive hepatoma cells.
Emodin shows promise as a potential therapeutic agent for HCC by targeting CD44-- positive hepatoma cells.