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. 2015 Aug 13;6(29):27661–27673. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.4871

Figure 4. Crocetinic acid inhibits pancosphere formation and Hedgehog signaling pathway.

Figure 4

A. Effect on spheroid formation. MiaPaCa-2 cells plated in ultra-low binding plates were treated with increasing doses (0–20 μM) of commercial crocetin or purified crocetinic acid. Data shows that crocetinic acid is more potent in inhibiting pancosphere formation. B. Extracts from MiaPaCa-2 cells were subjected to western blot analyses for various stem cell marker proteins. Data shows that purified crocetinic acid inhibits expression of DCLK1 and CD133. C, D. Effects on Sonic Hedgehog signaling pathway. Extracts were also western blotted for various proteins in the hedgehog signaling pathway. Data shows that purified crocetinic acid inhibits the expression of Sonic Hedgehog, the receptor Patched, and signaling related proteins Smoothened, SUFU and transcription factor Gli1. In addition, there was a reduction in targets of the signaling pathway c-Myc and cyclin D1.