# Linalool Impress Colorectal Cancer Deterioration by Mediating AKT/mTOR and JAK2/STAT3 Signaling Pathways

Authors: Min Hou; Yakun Zhang; Qingmei Huang; Hongmei Zhan; Tingting Jia; Min Li; Jing Hu; Yanli Zhao
Journal: BioMed Research International
 (2022)

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## Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the more common causes of cancer death worldwide. Chemotherapy is effective in the treatment of CRC, but it can produce a range of adverse effects that can significantly reduce the quality of life of CRC patients. The selection of drugs that are effective in treating CRC with few adverse effects is now an important task and is aimed at prolonging the survival of patients and improving their prognosis. In this study, CRC cells were treated with linalool using CRC cell lines as the study subjects, and cell viability, apoptosis, and cell migration were observed after treatment. Previous studies have demonstrated the therapeutic effects of linalool on CRC and its ability to inhibit CRC progression by modulating the AKT/mTOR and JAK2/STAT3 pathways.


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## Body

## 1. Introduction

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related deaths. It has annual morbidity of more than 1 million cases and mortality of approximately 700,000 cases worldwide [1]. Generally, about 25% of CRC patients have reached the advanced stage when they are diagnosed, and there is not enough time to receive standard treatment and eventually die of the disease [2]. In addition, even in the early stage, about half of patients will relapse and worsen within 5 years [3]. Chemotherapy is still an effective treatment for CRC, but it has obvious side effects and reduces the quality of life of patients [4, 5]. At present, although more and more other therapies have been developed for local and metastatic CRC, such as increasingly mature immunotherapy, the survival rate of advanced CRC is still very poor, and the current anticancer drugs are expensive [6]. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find new, effective, inexpensive anticancer compounds with fewer side effects to improve the survival rate of CRC patients and improve the prognosis.Some natural compounds are considered possible sources of anticancer drugs [7–11]. In particular, herbal medicines and plant extracts are considered potential candidates for drug development. Because of their low toxicity and side effects, they are expected to be used as alternative therapies for cancer treatment [12]. In addition, these plant-derived natural compounds also have the advantages of abundant yield and low cost, and on this basis, they have anticancer pharmacological activities, so they are excellent candidates for screening of a class of anticancer drugs [13, 14]. Linalool is a kind of natural terpenoid alcohol substance, which exists in many kinds of herbs, spices, fruits, and tea. It has all the advantages of the above-mentioned natural compounds and has the potential for drug development [15].The rest of this paper is organized as follows: Section2 discusses related research and analysis, followed by the methods of clinical diagnosis and data statistics in Section 3. The comparative analysis and data statistics are discussed in Section 4. Section 5 concludes the paper with a summary and future research directions.Linalool is a linear monoterpene, and studies have shown that monoterpenes can promote the death of cancer cells by promoting cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, autophagy, and/or senescence, thereby exerting its anticancer activity [16, 17]. Consistent with this, studies have shown that linalool has anticancer potential for prostate cancer, lung cancer, skin cancer, and cervical cancer. Its anticancer activity may be due to its effect on apoptosis, oxidative stress, cell cycle arrest, and immunomodulatory properties. Previous studies have pointed out that linalool can promote prostate cancer cell apoptosis through exogenous death receptor-dependent apoptotic pathways [18–20]. Studies on molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways have shown that linalool protects cells from oxidative stress by inhibiting the phosphorylation of ERK1, JNK, and p38 proteins of the MAPK family and the activation of NF-κB/p65 [21]. In addition, in immune regulation and inflammatory response, linalool also plays an immune regulatory role by stimulating the secretion of interferon-γ (INF-γ) and interleukins (ILs) [22].Many signal molecules and pathways are involved in mediating tumor cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest caused by drugs. Previous studies in CRC have shown that cannabidiol (CBD) induces apoptosis in CRC cell lines in a Noxa and ROS-dependent manner. Cabozantinib induces cell apoptosis in CRC cells through the AKT signaling pathway [23]. Isobavachalcone inhibits CRC cell proliferation and induces CRC cell apoptosis by inhibiting the AKT/GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway [24]. This paper studies that the AKT/mTOR and JAK2/STAT3 pathways play a significant role in the malignant process of CRC, and the inhibitory effect of linalool on CRC cells is mainly mediated through these pathways. Previous studies based on other cancer species also reveal the effect of linalool on cell signaling pathways. Studies show that linalool can inhibit glioma cells by regulating SIRT3-SOD2-ROS signaling [25]. In addition, linalool also inhibits the survival of T-ALL cells through the MAPK pathway, and JNK activation and ERK inhibition may play a functional role in the induction of apoptosis of T-ALL cells. Based on this, the study suggests that linalool may be developed as a new type of anti-T-ALL drug. In addition, reports have revealed that linalool induces apoptosis in HepG2 cells involving Ras, MAPK, and Akt/mTOR pathways. Our research also revealed that linalool inhibits the proliferation of CRC cells and promotes their apoptosis through the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and has an inhibitory effect on the cell migration and invasion. In addition, the JAK2/STAT3 pathway also plays a role in this process. Our results show that linalool can also significantly inhibit the phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3.The above studies have revealed the anticancer effect of linalool and part of the molecular mechanism. However, the specific molecular mechanism of the anticancer effect of linalool has not been fully elucidated [26]. In particular, whether it can also exert a tumor suppressor effect on CRC, its specific inhibitory mechanism is unknown. Therefore, we hypothesized that the anticancer effect of linalool is mediated through specific intracellular signaling pathways and affects downstream cell migration and cell apoptosis. In this study, based on CRC cells and animal models, we studied the anticancer effects of linalool in CRC in vivo and in vitro by analyzing the phenotype of cell malignant progression and signaling pathways.Natural compounds are excellent candidates for small molecules with antitumor activity. About 60% of the anticancer drugs currently available for clinical use are derived from natural compounds, including many anti-CRC drugs [27]. Linalool has been evaluated as a potential natural compound with cancer chemoprevention and chemotherapy. It can be used as a single drug or in combination with conventional drugs. As a kind of monoterpenes, many studies have proved the anticancer potential of these monoterpenes in a variety of cancers including colon cancer [24, 28]. However, as far as we know, the anticancer effect and molecular mechanism of linalool in CRC remain to be explored.


## 2. Materials and Methods

### 2.1. Cell Culture

The CRC cell lines (HCT116 and SW480) are used in this study that is purchased from the Type Culture Collection of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. All the above-mentioned cells are cultured at 37°C and 5% CO2. The complete cell culture medium contains 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS; Gibco), 1× penicillin and streptomycin (Gibco), and Dulbecco’s modified Eagle medium (DMEM, Hyclone).


### 2.2. RNA Extraction and RT-qPCR

The total RNA is extracted with TRIzol reagent (Shanghai Shenggong Biological Engineering Co., Ltd.). After extraction and concentration determination, the total RNA is reverse transcribed into cDNA using a cDNA reverse transcription kit (ThermoFisher). qPCR is performed using SYBR Premix Ex Taq kit (TaKaRa). The operation is carried out according to the user manual. Data are analyzed using the 2-ΔΔCt method to calculate relative expression. The primers used in the assay are all synthesized by Gene Universal Inc.


### 2.3. Western Blot Assay

Cells are lysed and extracted using RIPA lysis buffer. Then, SDS-PAGE is used for electrophoretic separation and transferred to the PVDF membrane. Subsequently, the membrane is blocked with 5% skimmed milk for 1 h. Then, the primary antibody anti-Ki-67, anti-cleaved-caspase3, anti-cyclin D1, anti-MMP-2, anti-MMP-9, anti-AKT, anti-p-AKT, anti-p-mTOR, anti-p-4E-BP1, anti-p-JAK2, anti-JAK2, anti-p-STAT3, anti-STAT3, and anti-GAPDH (Abcam) are incubated at 4°C overnight. Subsequently, the secondary antibody labeled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is incubated for 1 hour at room temperature. Finally, the protein bands are exposed and analyzed using an ECL reagent on Gel-Doc 200 (Bio-Rad). GAPDH is used as an internal control.


### 2.4. Cell Proliferation Detection

The Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8; Dojindo) is used in the study to assess cell proliferation. The assay is performed by the user manual. First, 3000 transfected cells are seeded into a 96-well plate with 6 replicate wells in each group. Then, it was analyzed using an ECL reagent on Gel-Doc 200 (Bio-Rad). GAPDH is a CCK-8 reagent (10μL) that is added and incubated at 37°C for 0 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h. Finally, a microplate reader (model, MD) is used to measure and record the OD value of 450 nm.


### 2.5. Apoptosis Assay

The apoptosis of cells is evaluated using the VFITC apoptosis detection kit (Invitrogen). The assay is performed by the user manual. Cells are collected with PBS. Then, cells are stained with Annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide (PI) in a dark room. Finally, flow cytometry (BD Biosciences) is used to observe apoptotic cells and calculate the apoptosis rate.


### 2.6. Transwell Assay

The transfected cells are starved and cultured for 24 h. Matrigel (Season) is used to spread the transwell chamber in advance for subsequent cell invasion assay. The transwell chamber without Matrigel is used directly for subsequent migration assay. Then, the cells are resuspended in cell medium and added to the upper layer of the chamber at a density of4×104 cells/well. At the same time, a DMEM medium containing 10% FBS is added to the outer of the chamber. After culturing for 24 h, cells in the upper are removed, and cells on the lower surface are fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde and then stained with 0.1% crystal violet solution. Finally, the images are captured by the microscope for cell counting.


### 2.7. Animal Model

Male 4-week-old BALB/c nude mice are purchased from Shanghai Model Biology Center. The HCT116 cell suspension (1×107 cells in 0.1 mL PBS) is injected subcutaneously into mice. After injection, the tumor volume is measured and recorded every 3 days until the xenografts volume reached 50 mm3. The animals are randomly divided into two groups (5 mice/group). And, solvent control or linalool (80 mg/kg body weight) is used to treat by subcutaneous injection twice a week for 4 weeks. The tumor volume is measured and calculated twice a week. The xenografts are collected and weighed. The RNA and protein of xenografts are extracted by first cutting the tissue into pieces and homogenizing, and then using the same method as above. All experiments related to animals are approved by the Affiliated Hospital of Shaoxing University ethics committee.


### 2.8. Data Analysis

The data analysis involved in the study is carried out using GraphPad Prism 6.0 software. The difference between the two groups is statistically analyzed by Student’st-test or one-way analysis of variance. All experimental data are the mean±SD of at least three independent experiments. p<0.05 is considered statistically significant.


## 2.1. Cell Culture

The CRC cell lines (HCT116 and SW480) are used in this study that is purchased from the Type Culture Collection of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. All the above-mentioned cells are cultured at 37°C and 5% CO2. The complete cell culture medium contains 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS; Gibco), 1× penicillin and streptomycin (Gibco), and Dulbecco’s modified Eagle medium (DMEM, Hyclone).


## 2.2. RNA Extraction and RT-qPCR

The total RNA is extracted with TRIzol reagent (Shanghai Shenggong Biological Engineering Co., Ltd.). After extraction and concentration determination, the total RNA is reverse transcribed into cDNA using a cDNA reverse transcription kit (ThermoFisher). qPCR is performed using SYBR Premix Ex Taq kit (TaKaRa). The operation is carried out according to the user manual. Data are analyzed using the 2-ΔΔCt method to calculate relative expression. The primers used in the assay are all synthesized by Gene Universal Inc.


## 2.3. Western Blot Assay

Cells are lysed and extracted using RIPA lysis buffer. Then, SDS-PAGE is used for electrophoretic separation and transferred to the PVDF membrane. Subsequently, the membrane is blocked with 5% skimmed milk for 1 h. Then, the primary antibody anti-Ki-67, anti-cleaved-caspase3, anti-cyclin D1, anti-MMP-2, anti-MMP-9, anti-AKT, anti-p-AKT, anti-p-mTOR, anti-p-4E-BP1, anti-p-JAK2, anti-JAK2, anti-p-STAT3, anti-STAT3, and anti-GAPDH (Abcam) are incubated at 4°C overnight. Subsequently, the secondary antibody labeled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is incubated for 1 hour at room temperature. Finally, the protein bands are exposed and analyzed using an ECL reagent on Gel-Doc 200 (Bio-Rad). GAPDH is used as an internal control.


## 2.4. Cell Proliferation Detection

The Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8; Dojindo) is used in the study to assess cell proliferation. The assay is performed by the user manual. First, 3000 transfected cells are seeded into a 96-well plate with 6 replicate wells in each group. Then, it was analyzed using an ECL reagent on Gel-Doc 200 (Bio-Rad). GAPDH is a CCK-8 reagent (10μL) that is added and incubated at 37°C for 0 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h. Finally, a microplate reader (model, MD) is used to measure and record the OD value of 450 nm.


## 2.5. Apoptosis Assay

The apoptosis of cells is evaluated using the VFITC apoptosis detection kit (Invitrogen). The assay is performed by the user manual. Cells are collected with PBS. Then, cells are stained with Annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide (PI) in a dark room. Finally, flow cytometry (BD Biosciences) is used to observe apoptotic cells and calculate the apoptosis rate.


## 2.6. Transwell Assay

The transfected cells are starved and cultured for 24 h. Matrigel (Season) is used to spread the transwell chamber in advance for subsequent cell invasion assay. The transwell chamber without Matrigel is used directly for subsequent migration assay. Then, the cells are resuspended in cell medium and added to the upper layer of the chamber at a density of4×104 cells/well. At the same time, a DMEM medium containing 10% FBS is added to the outer of the chamber. After culturing for 24 h, cells in the upper are removed, and cells on the lower surface are fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde and then stained with 0.1% crystal violet solution. Finally, the images are captured by the microscope for cell counting.


## 2.7. Animal Model

Male 4-week-old BALB/c nude mice are purchased from Shanghai Model Biology Center. The HCT116 cell suspension (1×107 cells in 0.1 mL PBS) is injected subcutaneously into mice. After injection, the tumor volume is measured and recorded every 3 days until the xenografts volume reached 50 mm3. The animals are randomly divided into two groups (5 mice/group). And, solvent control or linalool (80 mg/kg body weight) is used to treat by subcutaneous injection twice a week for 4 weeks. The tumor volume is measured and calculated twice a week. The xenografts are collected and weighed. The RNA and protein of xenografts are extracted by first cutting the tissue into pieces and homogenizing, and then using the same method as above. All experiments related to animals are approved by the Affiliated Hospital of Shaoxing University ethics committee.


## 2.8. Data Analysis

The data analysis involved in the study is carried out using GraphPad Prism 6.0 software. The difference between the two groups is statistically analyzed by Student’st-test or one-way analysis of variance. All experimental data are the mean±SD of at least three independent experiments. p<0.05 is considered statistically significant.


## 3. Result

### 3.1. Linalool Inhibits the CRC Cell Proliferation

To study the effect of linalool on CRC cells, the paper uses CRC cell lines HCT116 and SW480 as models and detects the proliferation of cells by CCK8 assay. The results show that with an increasing gradient of linalool treatment, the proliferation of HCT116 and SW480 cells shows a gradient-dependent decrease. When the concentration of linalool treatment is 4 mM, the cell proliferation decreased to about 50%. Accordingly, we choose linalool concentration 0.5 mM as the low concentration treatment, 1 mM as the medium concentration treatment, and 2 mM as the high concentration treatment for subsequent experimental research. Figure1 shows that the linalool inhibits CRC cell proliferation.Figure 1
Linalool inhibits CRC cell proliferation. (a) The effects of linalool on cell proliferation are validated in HCT116. (b) SW480 cells upon linalool treatment at different concentrations.∗∗∗p<0.001, linalool treatment group vs. control group. All data are expressed as the mean±SEM.
(a)(b)


### 3.2. Linalool Promotes CRC Cell Apoptosis

Furthermore, this paper uses high, medium, and low concentrations of linalool treatment to detect its effect on cell apoptosis. It is found that as the concentration of linalool treatment increased, the level of apoptosis gradually increased, as shown in Figure2(a). In addition, RT-qPCR results show that with the increase of linalool concentration, the mRNA level of cleaved-caspase 3 gradually increased, while the mRNA level of cyclin D1 gradually decreased, as shown in Figure 2(b). Similarly, with the increase of linalool concentration, the protein level of cleaved-caspase 3 gradually increased, and the protein level of cyclin D1 also gradually decreased, as shown in Figure 2(c).Figure 2
Linalool promotes CRC cell apoptosis. (a) The effects of linalool on cell apoptosis are validated in HCT116 and SW480 cells upon linalool treatment at high, medium, and low concentrations. (b) The mRNA and protein levels of cleaved-caspase 3 in HCT116 and SW480 cells upon linalool treatment at high, medium, and low concentrations. (c) The mRNA and protein levels of cyclin D1 in HCT116 and SW480 cells upon linalool treatment at high, medium, and low concentrations.∗∗∗p<0.001, linalool treatment group vs. control group. All data are expressed as the mean±SEM.
(a)(b)(c)


### 3.3. Linalool Inhibits Migration and Invasion of CRC Cells

In addition to the aforementioned changes in cell proliferation and apoptosis, this paper also tests the effect of linalool on cell migration and invasion. Figure3 shows that linalool inhibits migration and invasion of CRC cells. It is found that with the increase of linalool concentration, the migration ability of cells gradually decreases, as shown in Figure 3(a). The invasion ability of cells also gradually decreases, as shown in Figure 2(b). The mRNA and protein levels of metalloproteinases MMP2 and MMP9 also gradually decrease with the increase of linalool concentration, which also reflects the decline of cell invasion ability.Figure 3
Linalool inhibits migration and invasion of CRC cells. (a) The effects of linalool on cell migration and invasion are validated in HCT116 cells upon linalool treatment at high, medium, and low concentrations. (b) The effects of linalool on cell migration and invasion are validated SW480 cells upon linalool treatment at high, medium, and low concentrations. (c) The mRNA and protein levels of MMP2 and MMP9 in HCT116 cells upon linalool treatment at high, medium, and low concentrations. (d) The mRNA and protein levels of MMP2 and MMP9 in SW480 cells upon linalool treatment at high, medium, and low concentrations.∗∗∗p<0.001, linalool treatment group vs. control group. All data are expressed as the mean ± SEM.
(a)(b)(c)(d)


### 3.4. Linalool Inhibits the Malignant Process of CRC Cells through the AKT/mTOR and JAK2/STAT3 Signaling Pathways

Combined with the above-mentioned inhibitory effect of linalool on the malignant process of CRC cells, the paper further explores the signaling pathways that mediate the anticancer effect of linalool. It is found that under linalool treatment, the phosphorylation levels of AKT, mTOR, and 4E-BP1 are decreased, as shown in Figure4(a). Similarly, linalool could also inhibit the phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3, as shown in Figure 4(b). These results reflect that the inhibitory effect of linalool on the malignant process of CRC cells is mediated by the AKT/mTOR and JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathways. Figure 4 shows that linalool inhibits the malignant process of CRC cells through the AKT/mTOR and JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathways.Figure 4
Linalool inhibits the malignant process of CRC cells through the AKT/mTOR and JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathways. (a) The protein levels of AKT, p-AKT, p-mTOR, and p-4E-BP1 in HCT116 and SW480 cells upon linalool treatment at high, medium, and low concentrations. (b) The protein levels of JAK2, p-JAK2, STAT3, and p-STAT3 in HCT116 and SW480 cells upon linalool treatment at high, medium, and low concentrations.∗∗∗p<0.001, 2 mM linalool treatment group vs. control group. All data are expressed as the mean±SEM.
(a)(b)


### 3.5. Linalool Inhibits In Vivo Proliferation in CRC Cells

To study whether linalool has the same inhibitory effect on tumors in vivo, HCT116 cells are used to construct a mouse xenograft model of CRC. After tumor formation, intravenous injection of linalool is used to detect the changes of xenografts. The results show that the volume and weight of xenografts in the linalool treatment group are significantly smaller than those in the control group, as shown in Figure5. At the same time, the expression of Ki-67 in the xenografts in the linalool treatment group is also significantly reduced, indicating a decrease in the malignant ability of the xenografts.Figure 5
Linalool inhibits CRC cell proliferation in vivo. (a) Tumor size after 4 weeks post solvent control or linalool injection. (b) Tumor weight after 4 weeks post solvent control or linalool injection. (c) The protein expression of Ki-67 is detected in control and linalool injection group.∗∗∗p<0.001, linalool treatment group vs. control group. All data are expressed as the mean±SEM.
(a)(b)(c)


## 3.1. Linalool Inhibits the CRC Cell Proliferation

To study the effect of linalool on CRC cells, the paper uses CRC cell lines HCT116 and SW480 as models and detects the proliferation of cells by CCK8 assay. The results show that with an increasing gradient of linalool treatment, the proliferation of HCT116 and SW480 cells shows a gradient-dependent decrease. When the concentration of linalool treatment is 4 mM, the cell proliferation decreased to about 50%. Accordingly, we choose linalool concentration 0.5 mM as the low concentration treatment, 1 mM as the medium concentration treatment, and 2 mM as the high concentration treatment for subsequent experimental research. Figure1 shows that the linalool inhibits CRC cell proliferation.Figure 1
Linalool inhibits CRC cell proliferation. (a) The effects of linalool on cell proliferation are validated in HCT116. (b) SW480 cells upon linalool treatment at different concentrations.∗∗∗p<0.001, linalool treatment group vs. control group. All data are expressed as the mean±SEM.
(a)(b)


## 3.2. Linalool Promotes CRC Cell Apoptosis

Furthermore, this paper uses high, medium, and low concentrations of linalool treatment to detect its effect on cell apoptosis. It is found that as the concentration of linalool treatment increased, the level of apoptosis gradually increased, as shown in Figure2(a). In addition, RT-qPCR results show that with the increase of linalool concentration, the mRNA level of cleaved-caspase 3 gradually increased, while the mRNA level of cyclin D1 gradually decreased, as shown in Figure 2(b). Similarly, with the increase of linalool concentration, the protein level of cleaved-caspase 3 gradually increased, and the protein level of cyclin D1 also gradually decreased, as shown in Figure 2(c).Figure 2
Linalool promotes CRC cell apoptosis. (a) The effects of linalool on cell apoptosis are validated in HCT116 and SW480 cells upon linalool treatment at high, medium, and low concentrations. (b) The mRNA and protein levels of cleaved-caspase 3 in HCT116 and SW480 cells upon linalool treatment at high, medium, and low concentrations. (c) The mRNA and protein levels of cyclin D1 in HCT116 and SW480 cells upon linalool treatment at high, medium, and low concentrations.∗∗∗p<0.001, linalool treatment group vs. control group. All data are expressed as the mean±SEM.
(a)(b)(c)


## 3.3. Linalool Inhibits Migration and Invasion of CRC Cells

In addition to the aforementioned changes in cell proliferation and apoptosis, this paper also tests the effect of linalool on cell migration and invasion. Figure3 shows that linalool inhibits migration and invasion of CRC cells. It is found that with the increase of linalool concentration, the migration ability of cells gradually decreases, as shown in Figure 3(a). The invasion ability of cells also gradually decreases, as shown in Figure 2(b). The mRNA and protein levels of metalloproteinases MMP2 and MMP9 also gradually decrease with the increase of linalool concentration, which also reflects the decline of cell invasion ability.Figure 3
Linalool inhibits migration and invasion of CRC cells. (a) The effects of linalool on cell migration and invasion are validated in HCT116 cells upon linalool treatment at high, medium, and low concentrations. (b) The effects of linalool on cell migration and invasion are validated SW480 cells upon linalool treatment at high, medium, and low concentrations. (c) The mRNA and protein levels of MMP2 and MMP9 in HCT116 cells upon linalool treatment at high, medium, and low concentrations. (d) The mRNA and protein levels of MMP2 and MMP9 in SW480 cells upon linalool treatment at high, medium, and low concentrations.∗∗∗p<0.001, linalool treatment group vs. control group. All data are expressed as the mean ± SEM.
(a)(b)(c)(d)


## 3.4. Linalool Inhibits the Malignant Process of CRC Cells through the AKT/mTOR and JAK2/STAT3 Signaling Pathways

Combined with the above-mentioned inhibitory effect of linalool on the malignant process of CRC cells, the paper further explores the signaling pathways that mediate the anticancer effect of linalool. It is found that under linalool treatment, the phosphorylation levels of AKT, mTOR, and 4E-BP1 are decreased, as shown in Figure4(a). Similarly, linalool could also inhibit the phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3, as shown in Figure 4(b). These results reflect that the inhibitory effect of linalool on the malignant process of CRC cells is mediated by the AKT/mTOR and JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathways. Figure 4 shows that linalool inhibits the malignant process of CRC cells through the AKT/mTOR and JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathways.Figure 4
Linalool inhibits the malignant process of CRC cells through the AKT/mTOR and JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathways. (a) The protein levels of AKT, p-AKT, p-mTOR, and p-4E-BP1 in HCT116 and SW480 cells upon linalool treatment at high, medium, and low concentrations. (b) The protein levels of JAK2, p-JAK2, STAT3, and p-STAT3 in HCT116 and SW480 cells upon linalool treatment at high, medium, and low concentrations.∗∗∗p<0.001, 2 mM linalool treatment group vs. control group. All data are expressed as the mean±SEM.
(a)(b)


## 3.5. Linalool Inhibits In Vivo Proliferation in CRC Cells

To study whether linalool has the same inhibitory effect on tumors in vivo, HCT116 cells are used to construct a mouse xenograft model of CRC. After tumor formation, intravenous injection of linalool is used to detect the changes of xenografts. The results show that the volume and weight of xenografts in the linalool treatment group are significantly smaller than those in the control group, as shown in Figure5. At the same time, the expression of Ki-67 in the xenografts in the linalool treatment group is also significantly reduced, indicating a decrease in the malignant ability of the xenografts.Figure 5
Linalool inhibits CRC cell proliferation in vivo. (a) Tumor size after 4 weeks post solvent control or linalool injection. (b) Tumor weight after 4 weeks post solvent control or linalool injection. (c) The protein expression of Ki-67 is detected in control and linalool injection group.∗∗∗p<0.001, linalool treatment group vs. control group. All data are expressed as the mean±SEM.
(a)(b)(c)


## 4. Discussion

Linalool exerts its cytotoxic effect by inducing cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Our research results also prove this point in CRC. In addition, linalool also has a significant inhibitory effect on the migration and invasion of CRC cells. These may also be subsequent cellular events triggered by increased apoptosis and cycle arrest. It has been reported that linalool can induce G1 arrest in a variety of cancers, such as oral cancer, leukemia, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). These findings are consistent with the results of our study. First, cell cycle arrest is considered to be one of the main causes of cell growth inhibition. Although we did not detect changes in the cell cycle, it is found that with linalool concentration gradient treatment, the proliferation and growth ability of CRC cells show a gradient-dependent decrease. Secondly, apoptosis is one of the main strategies used by most chemotherapeutics for cancer treatment. it is found that as the concentration of linalool treatment increases, the level of apoptosis gradually increased, and the mRNA and protein levels of cleaved-caspase 3, which indicate apoptosis, gradually increased, while the expression of cyclin D1 gradually decreased. Finally, cell migration and invasion is a key feature of cancer metastasis. Research on this finds that as the concentration of linalool increases, the migration and invasion of cells gradually decrease, and metalloproteinases, which play an important role in the process of tumor cell invasion, also show the same trend of change.


## 5. Conclusion

In short, as a natural monoterpenoid compound, linalool can significantly inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of CRC cells and significantly promote cell apoptosis. And these obvious anticancer phenomena are probably mediated by the AKT/mTOR and JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathways. Similarly, experiments on xenografts in mice also proved the anticancer effect of linalool. Our research provides a certain theoretical basis for the application of natural monoterpenoid linalool in the treatment of CRC and hopes to contribute to the treatment and prognosis of CRC patients.



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*Source: 4801703-2022-07-11.xml*