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On-line Access: 2026-02-06

Received: 2025-03-25

Revision Accepted: 2025-09-10

Crosschecked: 2026-02-06

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Citations:  Bibtex RefMan EndNote GB/T7714

 ORCID:

Huiming WANG

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1131-7455

Jianlu KONG

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9264-2929

Ziyu ZHU

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7680-5292

Yu LIU

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3699-4759

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Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE B 2026 Vol.27 No.2 P.164-180

http://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.B2500142


Momordicine I induces ER stress and inhibits OSCC by targeting ribosomal proteins


Author(s):  Jianlu KONG, Ziyu ZHU, Yijie HU, Siyi ZHOU, Tianyi GU, Xiao SHEN, Huiming WANG, Mengfei YU, Yu LIU

Affiliation(s):  Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, China; more

Corresponding email(s):   7514061@zju.edu.cn, whmwhm@zju.edu.cn

Key Words:  Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), Momordicine I (MI), Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, Ribosomal protein


Jianlu KONG, Ziyu ZHU, Yijie HU, Siyi ZHOU, Tianyi GU, Xiao SHEN, Huiming WANG, Mengfei YU, Yu LIU. Momordicine I induces ER stress and inhibits OSCC by targeting ribosomal proteins[J]. Journal of Zhejiang University Science B, 2026, 27(2): 164-180.

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author="Jianlu KONG, Ziyu ZHU, Yijie HU, Siyi ZHOU, Tianyi GU, Xiao SHEN, Huiming WANG, Mengfei YU, Yu LIU",
journal="Journal of Zhejiang University Science B",
volume="27",
number="2",
pages="164-180",
year="2026",
publisher="Zhejiang University Press & Springer",
doi="10.1631/jzus.B2500142"
}

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%T Momordicine I induces ER stress and inhibits OSCC by targeting ribosomal proteins
%A Jianlu KONG
%A Ziyu ZHU
%A Yijie HU
%A Siyi ZHOU
%A Tianyi GU
%A Xiao SHEN
%A Huiming WANG
%A Mengfei YU
%A Yu LIU
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A1 - Jianlu KONG
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A1 - Yijie HU
A1 - Siyi ZHOU
A1 - Tianyi GU
A1 - Xiao SHEN
A1 - Huiming WANG
A1 - Mengfei YU
A1 - Yu LIU
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PB - Zhejiang University Press & Springer
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DOI - 10.1631/jzus.B2500142


Abstract: 
oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide. This necessitates the development of innovative drugs with high efficiency, low toxicity, and good tolerance. Bitter melon extract has been reported to have potent anticancer activity against OSCC. We evaluated the effects of nine triterpenoids from bitter melon extract on OSCC using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) proliferation and Transwell migration assays. Among the nine triterpenoids, momordicine I (MI) exhibited the strongest anticancer activity against OSCC. Animal experiments also showed that MI inhibited OSCC cell growth in vivo. Additionally, MI decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential and promoted apoptosis in OSCC. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis revealed that MI induced an unfolded protein response (UPR) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, which was confirmed by western blotting and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) and mass spectrometry (MS) analysis, combined with molecular docking, identified ribosomal proteins (ribosomal protein L7 (RPL7), RPL11, RPL12, RPL18, RPL30, RPL38, RPS13, and RPS25) as MI targets. By targeting ribosomal proteins, MI likely disrupts ribosome-mediated protein folding, leading to the UPR and ER stress. In summary, MI targets ribosomal proteins to induce ER stress and inhibit OSCC, highlighting its therapeutic potential.

苦瓜素I通过靶向核糖体蛋白诱导内质网应激抑制口腔鳞状细胞癌

孔建鲁1,朱子羽1,胡屹杰1,周思怡1,顾天忆1,沈枭2,王慧明1,俞梦飞1,刘宇1
1浙江大学医学院附属口腔医院,浙江大学口腔医学院,浙江省口腔疾病临床医学研究中心,浙江省口腔生物医学研究重点实验室,浙江大学癌症研究院,中国杭州市,310006
2浙江中医药大学第二临床医学院,中国杭州市,310053
摘要:口腔鳞状细胞癌(OSCC)是全球最常见的恶性肿瘤之一,目前亟需开发高效、低毒且耐受性良好的创新药物。据报道,苦瓜提取物对OSCC具有显著的抗癌活性。在本研究中,我们采用细胞计数试剂盒-8(CCK-8)增殖实验和Transwell迁移实验评估了苦瓜提取物中九种三萜类化合物对OSCC的影响。结果显示,苦瓜素I(MI)在九种化合物中表现出最强的抗OSCC活性。进一步的动物实验也证实,MI在体内能抑制OSCC细胞的生长。此外,MI可降低线粒体膜电位并促进OSCC细胞的凋亡。通过RNA 测序(RNA-seq)分析发现,MI能诱导未折叠蛋白反应(UPR)和内质网(ER)应激,这一结果经蛋白质印迹(western blotting)和实时荧光定量逆转录聚合酶链反应(RT-qPCR)验证得到确认。随后,我们联合细胞热位移分析(CETSA)、质谱(MS)分析及分子对接技术,鉴定出核糖体蛋白(RPL7、RPL11、RPL12、RPL18、RPL30、RPL38、RPS13和RPS25)是MI的作用靶点。我们推测,MI通过靶向核糖体蛋白,能够破坏核糖体介导的蛋白质折叠,从而引发UPR和ER应激。综上,MI通过靶向核糖体蛋白诱导ER应激抑制OSCC细胞的生长,表明其具有良好的治疗潜力。

关键词:口腔鳞状细胞癌(OSCC);苦瓜素I(MI);内质网(ER)应激;核糖体蛋白

Darkslateblue:Affiliate; Royal Blue:Author; Turquoise:Article

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