Transcriptional responses of cancerous and noncancerous cells to wasabi-derived isothiocyanates

• Main Author: Trio, Phoebe Z.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2018
• Subjects: Wasabi—Analysis; Organosulfur compounds
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/5997
• Institution: De La Salle University

Wasabi japonica (Miq.) Matsumara, commonly known as wasabi, is a member of Brassicaceae vegetables, and a popular condiment in Japanese household. Wasabi contains high amount og isothiocyanates (ITCs) such as 6-(Methylsulfinyl)hexyl isothiocyanate (6-MSITC), 6-(methylthio)hexyl isothiocyanate (6-MTITC) and sulforaphane (SFN). ITC is a small but reactive organosulfur-containing compounds exhibiting multiple biological activities. However, the exact molecular mechanisms of wasabi-derived ITCs are not yet clear. This study is conducted to assess the global changes in transcript levels of wasabi-derived ITCs in cancerous and non-cancerous cell lines using microarray technology. To profile the responses of cancer and non-cancer cells to wasabi-derived ITCs at genome-wide level, HepG2 and IMR-32 cells were exposed to wasabi-derives ITCs and subjected to DNA microarray analyses using HG_U133 plus 2.0 oligonucleotide array platform. The partial array data on selected gene products were confirmed by RT-PCR and Western blot analyses. Gene ontology (GO) and ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) were used to categorize gene products and identify functional gene subsets and biologically significant network pathways, respectively. Microarray data analyses revealed SFN, 6-MSITC and 6-MTITC differentially (≥2 folds) altered gene expression s of 105, 144 and 189 genes, respectively, in HepG2 cells. However, SFN did not produce any significant difference in the number of differentially expressed genes of wasabi-derived ITC treatment are associated with oxidative stress response in both cell lines. Furthermore, pathway analyses revealed that Nrf2-mediated pathway is the top most modulated signaling pathway. Confirmation of the microarray data showed that wasabi-derived ITCs could stimulate the activation of Nrf2 and its dependent genes not only at the transcriptional level, but also until the translational level. Altogether, our data suggest that wasabi-derived ITCs exhibit protective and preventive effects through underlying antioxidant activity via activation of Nrf2 and subsequent induction of cytoprotective genes.