DOI LINK: https://doi.org/10.59671/CbACS

Paper ID:CbACS

Volume:49

Issue:11

Title:Effects of Quercetin Treatment on Apoptosis and Ferroptosis Cell Death Mechanisms in Colon Cancer Cell Lines

Abstract:One of the key challenges in cancer research is finding ways to selectively eliminate cancer cells without harming healthy tissues. This makes understanding cell death mechanisms in cancer cells critical for developing effective treatments. Ferroptosis, a recently recognized form of programmed cell death driven by iron, has emerged as a promising approach for targeting cancer cells, which have higher iron requirements than normal cells. Inducing ferroptosis has been shown to overcome resistance to various chemotherapeutic agents and targeted therapies, enhancing their effectiveness and decreasing cancer resistance. To explore the protective effects of quercetin, a flavonoid metabolite, and the cell death pathways it engages, experiments were conducted using HT-29 and HCT-116 colon cancer cell lines treated with quercetin and an anticancer drug. Cell viability was measured after 24 and 48 hours of incubation with varying logarithmic concentrations of quercetin and doxorubicin, both independently and in combination. The study focused on identifying the cell death pathways activated by these treatments by analyzing apoptosis markers APAF-1 and CASP-3, along with ferroptosis markers GPx4 and ACSL-4. The results indicated that quercetin alone elevated APAF-1 and CASP-3 levels in both colon cancer cell lines, thus promoting the apoptotic pathway. In terms of ferroptosis, the combination treatment increased ACSL-4 expression while reducing GPx4, indicating the induction of ferroptosis and a synergistic effect on cancer cells. These findings point to the potential for further investigation into combining ferroptosis-inducing agents and the signaling pathways that trigger different forms of cell death.

Keywords:Ferroptosis, Apoptosis, Quercetin, HT29, HCT116

Authors:Merve Alpay, Ozge Guler

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