Antrodia salmonea suppresses epithelial-mesenchymal transition/metastasis and Warburg effects by inhibiting Twist and HIF-1α expression in Twist-overexpressing head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Antrodia salmonea (AS), linked to the genus Taiwanofungus, is a medicinal fungus, and exhibits anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and tumor inhibiting properties.

AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study, we investigated the metabolic reprogramming and anti-metastasis/epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) effects of AS exposure in Twist-overexpressing head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC, OECM-1 and FaDu-Twist) cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: MTT assay, Western blot, migration/invasion assay, immunofluorescence, glucose uptake assay, lactate assay, oxygen consumption rate (OCR)/Extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) assay, Liquid Chromatography-Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS), and qRT-PCR experimental techniques were used to evaluate the therapeutic potential of AS treatment in HNSCC cells.

RESULTS: This study showed that AS exhibits anti-EMT and anti-metastatic effects as well as metabolic reprogramming in Twist-overexpressing HNSCC cells. AS exposure inhibited Twist and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) protein and/or mRNA expression in Twist-overexpressing OECM-1 and FaDu-Twist cells. AS markedly suppressed EMT by enhancing the expression of E-cadherin; while the N-cadherin was suppressed. Furthermore, glucose uptake and lactate accumulation, together with HIF-1α-regulated glycolysis genes were diminished by AS in OECM-1 cells. AS decreased the ECAR, and enhanced the OCR together with basal respiration, ATP production, maximal respiration, and spare respiratory capacity under normoxia and hypoxia (CoCl2 ) in OECM-1 cells. There was a marked reduction in the level of glycolytic intermediate's; while TCA cycle metabolites were increased by AS treatment in OECM-1 cells.

CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that AS treatment suppresses EMT/metastasis and Warburg effects through Twist and HIF-1α inhibition in Twist-overexpressing HNSCC cells.