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Methionine restriction enhances the chemotherapeutic sensitivity of colorectal cancer stem cells by miR-320d/c-Myc axis

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Abstract

Chemotherapy resistance of colorectal cancer stem cells (CRC-SCs) has become a major challenge in clinical treatment of cancer. Methionine restriction (MR) enhances the therapeutic effect of chemotherapeutic agents. The aim of this study was to explore the molecular pathways that MR affects the chemotherapeutic sensitivity of CRC-SCs. CD133+ and CD133– SW480 or SW620 cells were isolated by magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS). Mouse xenograft tumor model was established by subcutaneous inoculation of CD133+ SW480. MTT assay was used to detect cell viability. Phase distribution of cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry. Western blotting was used to detect drug-resistant related protein expression. miR-320d and transcription factor c-Myc expressions were detected by qRT-PCR. The interaction between miR-320d and c-Myc was verified by luciferase assay. CD133+ SW480 and SW620 cells were more resistant to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) than CD133– cells. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that 5-FU and MR combined therapy further inhibited CD133+ cell activity and ATP binding cassette subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2) expression, and reduced tumor volume compared with drug administration alone. Interference with miR-320d or overexpression of c-Myc reversed the increased chemotherapeutic sensitivity of CRC-SCs induced by synergistic therapy with 5-FU and MR. miR-320d can target and regulate c-Myc. Interference with c-Myc could reverse the increase in cell viability and ABCG2 expression caused by down-regulation of miR-320d. In conclusion, the combined chemotherapy with MR can enhance the chemotherapeutic sensitivity of CRC-SCs by up-regulation of miR-320d to inhibit c-Myc expression, which lays a molecular basis for MR regulation of chemotherapeutic sensitivity of CRC-SCs.

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Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

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Funding

This work was supported by the Jiangxi Province Natural Science Foundation (No. 20192BAB205079) and Jiangxi Province Key Research and Development Program (No. 20203BBG73056) and Jiangxi Province Academic and Technical Leaders Training Program for Major Disciplines (Leading Talents Program: 20213BCJ22014) and The National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 8216100399, and 81872480).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi Province, China

    Chuan Liu

  2. Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 Minde Road, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi Province, China

    Jin-Liang Wang, Deng-Zhong Wu, Yi-Wu Yuan & Lin Xin

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  1. Chuan Liu
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  2. Jin-Liang Wang
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CL: Conceptualization, Methodology, JL W and DZ W: Formal analysis, LQ Z: Data curation, LX: Writing-original draft.

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Correspondence to Lin Xin.

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All the animal experiments in this study were authorized by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, and were conducted in accordance with the Guidelines for the Care and Use of Experimental Animals.

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Liu, C., Wang, JL., Wu, DZ. et al. Methionine restriction enhances the chemotherapeutic sensitivity of colorectal cancer stem cells by miR-320d/c-Myc axis. Mol Cell Biochem 477, 2001–2013 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-022-04416-1

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