{ "abstract": "Background/Aim: This study aimed to investigate the impacts and underlying molecular mechanisms of E-4-(2-chloro-1-(4-methylbenzyl)-1H-indol-3-yl)but-3-en-2-one, C20H18ClNO (S4MA), a newly synthesized compound, on inflammation-associated cytokine responses in human colon cancer HCT 116 cells in vitro.\n\nMaterials and Methods: Phase-contrast microscopy was utilized to detect the changes in cell morphology, and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to analyze cell proliferation. Cytokine secretion was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and mRNA levels were assessed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Western blotting and confocal laser microscopy were employed to investigate the associated protein expression. Furthermore, the interaction of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) with specific DNA sequences in HCT 116 cells was evaluated using electrophoresis mobility shift assay (EMSA).\n\nResults: High concentrations of S4MA triggered cell morphological alterations in HCT 116 cells. Therefore, we reduced the concentration of S4MA to 1 μM for the inflammation-associated cytokine assay. S4MA at 0.5 and 1 μM inhibited cell proliferation. S4MA at 0.1 and 1 μM reduced the secretion of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) cytokines, and S4MA at 1 μM diminished the mRNA expression of IL-6 and TNF-α, as determined by ELISA and RT-PCR assays, respectively. Western blotting and confocal laser microscopy demonstrated that S4MA reduced the levels of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)- and NF-κB-associated proteins in HCT 116 cells. Furthermore, S4MA reduced the interaction between NF-κB and its target DNA sequences within the nucleus, as determined by EMSA.\n\nConclusion: S4MA inhibited inflammation-associated responses by regulating the STAT3/NF-κB pathways in human colon cancer HCT 116 cells. Therefore, S4MA may be a promising agent for suppressing inflammatory responses in future therapies for human colon cancer.", "abstract_shown": true, "affiliations": [ "School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C.", "School of Chinese Medicine for Post-Baccalaureate, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, R.O.C.", "Department of Chinese Medicine, E-Da Cancer Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, R.O.C.", "Department of Food Nutrition and Health Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C.", "Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C.", "Department of Medicinal Botany and Foods on Health Applications, Da-Yeh University, Changhua, Taiwan, R.O.C.", "Department of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chinese Medicine Resources, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C.", "Department of Food Science, College of Agriculture, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan, R.O.C.", "Department of Cosmetic Application & Management, Saint Mary’s Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Yilan, Taiwan", "Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.", "Jen-Tch Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Miaoli, Taiwan, R.O.C.", "Department of Pharmacy, Lo-Hsu Medical Foundation Lotung Poh-Ai Hospital, Yilan, Taiwan, R.O.C.", "Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C." ], "article_type": "research article", "arxiv": null, "author_total": 11, "authors": [ { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "JIN-CHERNG LIEN" }, { "affs": [ 1, 2 ], "name": "YI-SHIH MA" }, { "affs": [ 3 ], "name": "FU-SHIN CHUEH" }, { "affs": [ 4 ], "name": "YI-PING HUANG" }, { "affs": [ 5 ], "name": "JAW-CHYUN CHEN" }, { "affs": [ 6 ], "name": "JIUN-LONG YANG" }, { "affs": [ 7 ], "name": "YUNG-LIN CHU" }, { "affs": [ 8 ], "name": "AN-CHENG HUANG" }, { "affs": [ 9, 10 ], "name": "CHIUNG-JU CHEN" }, { "affs": [ 11 ], "name": "SHU-MI CHEN" }, { "affs": [ 12 ], "name": "SHU-FEN PENG" } ], "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7k4fjnbfcf6r0.bib", "cited_by": 0, "doi": "10.21873/invivo.14480", "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13723957/", "id": "7k4fjnbfcf6r0", "issns": [ "0258-851X", "1791-7549" ], "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.21873/invivo.14480", "language": "en", "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0", "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND 4.0", "licence_source": "article", "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/", "metadata_licence": null, "native_subjects": [ [ "heading", "Research Article" ], [ "openalex", "1306|NF-κB Signaling Pathways" ] ], "openalex": "W7224294694", "pdf_url": "https://iv.iiarjournals.org/content/invivo/40/6/3322.full.pdf", "pmcid": "PMC13723957", "pmid": "42957247", "published": "2026-10-29", "publisher": "International Institute of Anticancer Research", "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7k4fjnbfcf6r0.ris", "sources": [ { "first_seen": "2026-11-04T12:22:30Z", "native_id": "PMC13723957", "source": "pmc", "url": "https://doi.org/10.21873/invivo.14480" } ], "subjects": [ { "field": "medicine", "origin": "openalex:1306|NF-κB Signaling Pathways", "subfield": "oncology" } ], "title": "Newly Synthesized S4MA Inhibits Inflammatory Responses Through STAT3/NF-κB Pathways in Human Colon Cancer HCT 116 Cells In Vitro", "title_text": "Newly Synthesized S4MA Inhibits Inflammatory Responses Through STAT3/NF-κB Pathways in Human Colon Cancer HCT 116 Cells In Vitro", "type": "peer-reviewed", "updated_at": "2026-11-05T12:20:41Z", "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7k4fjnbfcf6r0", "venue": "In Vivo", "versions": [] }