Amarogentin Inhibits Tumor Stem Cell-Like Features of Lung Cancer by Regulating Notch Signaling

Amarogentin, a secoiridoid glycoside isolated from the Indian medicinal plant Swertia chirata, is widely known for its antileishmanial, antioxidative, hypoglycemic, antihepatotoxic, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities. It has been evaluated for its possible anticancerous role in lung cancer using A549 and H1299 cells as models. The results of these studies show a dose-dependent decrease in cell proliferation, cell migration, and invasion by amarogentin. Furthermore, amarogentin repressed stemness in lung cancer, as shown by a diminution in the expression of DLL4, NICD, and Hes1 proteins. In conclusion, we report for the first time the potential regulatory impact of amarogentin on lung cancer. These findings reveal that amarogentin treatment inhibits tumor stem cell-like features in lung cancer by regulating Notch signaling. Therefore, amarogentin may be deemed as a useful therapeutic drug for lung cancer.