Lunasin potentiates the effect of oxaliplatin preventing outgrowth of colon cancer metastasis, binds to α5β1 integrin and suppresses FAK/ERK/NF-κB signaling

The effect of lunasin on colon cancer metastasis was studied using three human colon cancer cell lines in vitro and a liver metastasis model of colon cancer in vivo. Lunasin bound with α5β1 integrin and internalized into the nucleus of KM12L4 human colon cancer cells. Lunasin (10 μM) inhibited the activation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) by 28%, 39% and 60% in RKO, HCT-116 and KM12L4 human colon cancer cells, respectively. Lunasin caused an increase in the expression of the inhibitor of kappa B alpha (IκB-α), a decrease in nuclear p50 NF-κB and a reduction in the migration of cancer cells. Lunasin (4 mg/kg bw) inhibited metastasis and potentiated the effect of oxaliplatin by reducing the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen. Liver metastatic nodules were reduced from 28 (PBS) to 14 (lunasin, P = 0.047) while combination of lunasin and oxaliplatin to 5 (P = 0.004). The tumor burden was reduced from 0.13 (PBS) to 0.10 (lunasin, P = 0.039) to 0.04 (lunasin + oxaliplatin, P < 0.0001). Moreover, lunasin potentiated the effect of oxaliplatin in modifying expression of proteins involved in apoptosis and metastasis including Bax, Bcl-2, IKK-α and p-p65. Lunasin inhibited metastasis of human colon cancer cells by direct binding with α5β1 integrin suppressing FAK/ERK/NF-κB signaling, and potentiated the effect of oxaliplatin in preventing the outgrowth of metastasis.

► In vitro, lunasin inhibited metastasis by modulation of FAK/ERK/NF-κB signaling.
► In vitro, lunasin physically interacted with α5β1 integrin.
► Lunasin internalized into the cytoplasm and nucleus of KM12L4 colon cancer cells.
► In vivo lunasin inhibited metastasis of KM12L4 colon cancer cells.
► Lunasin potentiated the anti-metastatic effect of oxaliplatin in vivo.