Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41977440›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of molecular sciences2026

Targeting Polyamine Metabolism in Colorectal Cancer: Apigenin Dismantles the HIF-1α/SMOX Positive Feedback Loop to Suppress Tumor Progression.

Zhengkun Zhang, Bin Xiang, Ruiman Geng, Xuxu Ji, Dingxue Wang, Zhaoru Yin, Lihong Chen, Ji Liu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of molecular sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
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

8 authors.

Zhengkun ZhangDepartment of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.ORCID 0000-0002-7873-7921
Bin XiangDepartment of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Ruiman GengDepartment of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.ORCID 0000-0002-9253-9171
Xuxu JiDepartment of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Dingxue WangDepartment of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Zhaoru YinDepartment of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Lihong ChenDepartment of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Ji LiuDepartment of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.ORCID 0000-0002-6769-3425

Funding

Chinese Science and Technology Development Research Institute 19H0521Chinese Science and Technology Development Research Institute 21H0704Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province 2025ZDZX0047
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Tumor microenvironments, particularly hypoxia and inflammation, heavily influence colorectal cancer (CRC) pathogenesis by altering polyamine metabolism. Identifying natural compounds targeting these vulnerabilities remains critical. Integrating untargeted metabolomics, network pharmacology, and a human endogenous metabolite library screen, we identified apigenin (API) as a potent anti-CRC candidate. API significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of RKO and HCT116 cells in vitro and suppressed xenograft tumor growth in vivo. Crucially, high-throughput screening revealed that polyamines rescued CRC cells from API-induced cytotoxicity. Mechanistically, API exerts its effects by dismantling a newly identified HIF-1α/SMOX positive feedback loop. In CRC, HIF-1α transcriptionally activates spermine oxidase (SMOX), while SMOX-driven polyamine metabolism fuels the TLR4/MyD88 inflammatory cascade to continuously stabilize HIF-1α. API acts as a "circuit breaker" for this axis, significantly reducing the spermidine/spermine ratio and downregulating inflammatory signaling. Ultimately, API effectively remodels polyamine metabolism and suppresses CRC progression by disrupting the HIF-1α/SMOX and TLR4/MyD88 pathways, offering a novel metabolic mechanism for API in CRC therapy.

Indexed as

ApigeninColorectal NeoplasmsHypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha SubunitOxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group DonorsPolyaminesAnimalsCell Line, TumorCell ProliferationDisease ProgressionFeedback, PhysiologicalHCT116 CellsHumansMiceMice, NudeMyeloid Differentiation Factor 88Polyamine OxidaseApigeninHIF1A protein, humanHypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha SubunitMyeloid Differentiation Factor 88Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group DonorsPolyamine OxidasePolyaminesapigenincolorectal cancerinflammatorySMOX

Identifiers

PMID41977440
PMCPMC13074065

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.