Inhibitory effect of cucurbitacin E on pancreatic cancer cells growth via STAT3 signaling

Pancreatic cancer has been a serious disease worldwide for its high mortality. Cucurbitacin E is a member of triterpenoid family isolated from plants showing antiproliferative activity on various cancer cells. In this study, we have explored whether cucurbitacin E also has an anti-tumor effect on pancreatic cancer cells. Human pancreatic cancer cells PANC-1 were used to explore the effect and possible mechanisms of cucurbitacin E on cell cycle progression, apoptosis and proliferation. Cucurbitacin E has inhibited the growth of PANC-1 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and has caused accumulation of cells at the G(2)/M phase as well as apoptosis. Western blotting also showed that cucurbitacin E treatment can inhibit STAT3 phosphorylation while upregulate p53 expression. Our results suggested that cucurbitacin E may be an effective regimen for the chemotherapy of pancreatic cancer.