Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29453896›Full record

ArticleCancer science2018

Antimalarial drug mefloquine inhibits nuclear factor kappa B signaling and induces apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells.

Xin Xu, Jun Wang, Kunkun Han, Shaoyan Li, Feng Xu, Yili Yang

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cancer science, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 42 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
42citing papers in PubMed
3.0field-weighted citation impact, top 8% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

42 citing papers in PubMed, 65 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Uncovering hypothesis-generating associations between prescription drugs and digestive cancer risk: a case-control drug-wide association study (DWAS).Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology · 2026
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  15. Emerging drug targets for colon cancer: A preclinical assessment.Expert opinion on therapeutic targets · 2022
    Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Xin XuSuzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Center for Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Suzhou, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7713-4734
Jun WangDepartment of Emergency Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
Kunkun HanThe Asclepius Technology Company Group and Asclepius Cancer Research Center, Suzhou, China.
Shaoyan LiSuzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Center for Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Suzhou, China.
Feng XuDepartment of Emergency Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
Yili YangSuzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Center for Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Suzhou, China.
Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College · CNSoochow University · CNEugeniusz Geppert Academy of Art and Design in Wroclaw · PL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway is activated in many colorectal cancer (CRC) cells and in the tumor microenvironment, which plays a critical role in cancer initiation, development, and response to therapies. In the present study, we found that the widely used antimalarial drug mefloquine was a NF-κB inhibitor that blocked the activation of IκBα kinase, leading to reduction of IκBα degradation, decrease of p65 phosphorylation, and suppressed expression of NF-κB target genes in CRC cells. We also found that mefloquine induced growth arrest and apoptosis of CRC cells harboring phosphorylated p65 in culture and in mice. Furthermore, expression of constitutive active IKKβ kinase significantly attenuated the cytotoxic effect of the compound. These results showed that mefloquine could exert antitumor action through inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway, and indicated that the antimalarial drug might be repurposed for anti-CRC therapy in the clinic as a single agent or in combination with other anticancer drugs.

Indexed as

AnimalsAntimalarialsAntineoplastic AgentsApoptosisCell LineCell Line, TumorCell ProliferationColorectal NeoplasmsGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHCT116 CellsHEK293 CellsHT29 CellsHumansI-kappa B KinaseMefloquineMiceAntimalarialsAntineoplastic AgentsI-kappa B KinaseMefloquineNF-kappa Bcolorectal cancerdrug repurposemefloquineNF-κBtherapy

Identifiers

PMID29453896
PMCPMC5891192
OpenAlexW2792342661

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.