Figure 9.

Vanillin inhibits CRC tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model. (A) Representative image showing tumors from subcutaneous tumor-bearing nude mice of the SW480/NC or SW480/NNMT groups which were treated with 5-Fu alone or 5-Fu combined with vanillin. (B) Tumor weight of the different groups displayed as a scatter diagram. (C) Tumor volume of the different groups displayed as a scatter diagram. (D) Cell apoptosis detected by TUNEL staining (magnification, ×100). (E) Cell apoptosis rate from TUNEL staining displayed as a histogram showing the 5-Fu alone treated group of SW480/NC cells as a control which was set as 1. (F) Schematic illustration of the regulation of NNMT and chemosensitivity by vanillin. Vanillin downregulates NNMT and enhances sensitivity to 5-Fu via ROS-induced cell apoptosis in CRC cells. Data are represented as means ± SD, n=3; *P<0.05, **P<0.01. Van, vanillin; CRC, colorectal cancer; NNMT, nicotinamide N-methyltransferase; ASK1, apoptosis signal regulating kinase 1; ROS, reactive oxygen species; 5-Fu, 5-fluorouracil.