Tubocapsenolide A Overcomes Oxaliplatin Resistance in Colorectal Cancer by Targeting PLK1 to Impair CEP55-ESCRT-Associated Vesicular Damage Clearance.
5 affiliations
- 1Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
- 2Institute of Digital Materia Medica and Structural Pharmacology, Fujian Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica, College of Pharmacy, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, People's Republic of China.
- 3Jiangsu Clinical Innovation Center for Anorectal Diseases of T.C.M, Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
- 4Research Center for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
- 5Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
Abstract
Oxaliplatin (L-OHP) is a first-line chemotherapeutic agent for advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) and postoperative adjuvant therapy. However, acquired L-OHP resistance remains a clinical obstacle. Here, we identify Tubocapsenolide A (TA), a natural withanolide isolated from Tubocapsicum anomalum, as a promising antitumor agent that suppresses CRC growth and sensitizes L-OHP-resistant CRC to L-OHP. Using a PROTAC-based target deconvolution strategy, we identify PLK1 as a direct molecular target of TA. PLK1 is elevated in L-OHP-resistant CRC and is associated with reduced patient sensitivity to L-OHP. Mechanistically, elevated PLK1 promotes CEP55 Ser436 phosphorylation and facilitates ESCRT recruitment to nuclear and mitochondrial budding sites. This process facilitates the clearance of L-OHP-induced damaged components through nuclear budding and TOM20⁻/PDH⁺ mitochondrial-derived vesicles, thereby contributing to organelle homeostasis and cell survival. By inhibiting PLK1, TA interferes with this vesicle-associated damage clearance process, leading to intracellular accumulation of damaged components. This damage accumulation is accompanied by nucleolar stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, ultimately contributing to cell death. Collectively, our findings identify a previously unappreciated role of the PLK1-CEP55-ESCRT axis in vesicle-associated damage clearance during L-OHP resistance and support this axis as a potential therapeutic target. TA represents a promising lead compound for overcoming L-OHP resistance in CRC.
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BibTeX
@article{yang2026tubocapsenolide,
title = {{Tubocapsenolide A Overcomes Oxaliplatin Resistance in Colorectal Cancer by Targeting PLK1 to Impair CEP55-ESCRT-Associated Vesicular Damage Clearance.}},
author = {Yueying Yang and Jing Liang and Lu Wang and Hongyan Zhang and Zhiruo Zhang and Yang Liu and Rui Zhu and Wen Xu and Shaohua Xu and Dejuan Sun and Ke Xiang and Yali Wang and Zhimin Fan and Zheng Wang and Hua Li and Lixia Chen},
journal = {Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1002/advs.78310},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42893509},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Tubocapsenolide A Overcomes Oxaliplatin Resistance in Colorectal Cancer by Targeting PLK1 to Impair CEP55-ESCRT-Associated Vesicular Damage Clearance.
AU - Yueying Yang
AU - Jing Liang
AU - Lu Wang
AU - Hongyan Zhang
AU - Zhiruo Zhang
AU - Yang Liu
AU - Rui Zhu
AU - Wen Xu
AU - Shaohua Xu
AU - Dejuan Sun
AU - Ke Xiang
AU - Yali Wang
AU - Zhimin Fan
AU - Zheng Wang
AU - Hua Li
AU - Lixia Chen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/18
JO - Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
DO - 10.1002/advs.78310
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42893509
AB - Oxaliplatin (L-OHP) is a first-line chemotherapeutic agent for advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) and postoperative adjuvant therapy. However, acquired L-OHP resistance remains a clinical obstacle. Here, we identify Tubocapsenolide A (TA), a natural withanolide isolated from Tubocapsicum anomalum, as a promising antitumor agent that suppresses CRC growth and sensitizes L-OHP-resistant CRC to L-OHP. Using a PROTAC-based target deconvolution strategy, we identify PLK1 as a direct molecular target of TA. PLK1 is elevated in L-OHP-resistant CRC and is associated with reduced patient sensitivity to L-OHP. Mechanistically, elevated PLK1 promotes CEP55 Ser436 phosphorylation and facilitates ESCRT recruitment to nuclear and mitochondrial budding sites. This process facilitates the clearance of L-OHP-induced damaged components through nuclear budding and TOM20⁻/PDH⁺ mitochondrial-derived vesicles, thereby contributing to organelle homeostasis and cell survival. By inhibiting PLK1, TA interferes with this vesicle-associated damage clearance process, leading to intracellular accumulation of damaged components. This damage accumulation is accompanied by nucleolar stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, ultimately contributing to cell death. Collectively, our findings identify a previously unappreciated role of the PLK1-CEP55-ESCRT axis in vesicle-associated damage clearance during L-OHP resistance and support this axis as a potential therapeutic target. TA represents a promising lead compound for overcoming L-OHP resistance in CRC.
SN - 2198-3844
ER -