Targeting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway: veratramine mitigates MNNG-induced gastric precancerous lesions.

Authors

Pan Zhang, Xuelin Sun, Longteng Liu, Yatong Zhang, Jiaqi Bo, Wenli Huang, Yifan Na, Jingyi Zhang, Xiaoyun Qin, Qingfeng Luo

Published in

Molecular and cellular biochemistry. Jul 30, 2026. Epub Jul 30, 2026.

Abstract

Gastric precancerous lesions (GPLs) are a pivotal stage in the gastritis-gastric cancer sequence, and the absence of effective treatments presents a clinical challenge. Veratramine is a natural anti-inflammatory and analgesic steroid alkaloid; however, its effects on GPLs and the mechanisms have remained unexplored. This study investigated the effects of veratramine on GPLs using 1-Methyl-3-nitro-1-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)-induced GES-1 cells and rat models, utilizing RNA-seq to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. In vitro, veratramine inhibited malignant cells (MC) proliferation, induced apoptosis, and triggered G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. It also suppressed epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), migration, and invasion by upregulating E‑cadherin and downregulating Slug and vimentin. Transcriptomic and molecular docking analyses highlighted the Wnt/β-catenin pathway as a key target, regulated via DDX60, MUC1, APOL1, and MSH5. Veratramine reduced Wnt10B, β-catenin, and cyclin D1 expression and blocked β‑catenin nuclear translocation; these effects were reversed by the Wnt activator BML-284. In vivo, treatment with veratramine ameliorated the GPLs-induced pathological changes in rats. It restored body weight and preserved gastric mucosal integrity, as evidenced by intact glandular and cellular morphology, reduced hyperplasia, and attenuated intestinal metaplasia. These improvements were associated with a modulation of key molecular markers, specifically a decrease in the expression of N-cadherin, Wnt10B, and β-catenin, alongside an increase in E-cadherin expression in gastric tissues. These results collectively indicate that veratramine exerts its therapeutic effects against GPLs primarily by suppressing the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Taken together, our findings suggest that veratramine is a promising candidate small-molecule drug for the treatment of GPLs.

PMID:
42530764
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 30 Jul 2026.

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