Cell Morphology-Based Screening Identified Vitetrifolin D from Vitex Rotundifolia as an Inhibitor of Phorbol Ester–Induced Downregulation of E-Cadherin in HHUA Endometrial Cells

Yusuke Hanaki, Nichika Iwase, Yasunori Sugiyama, Sena Miyoshi, Ryo C. Yanagita
In: BPB Reports · 2023 · vol. 6(3) , pp. 103–107 · doi:10.1248/bpbreports.6.3_103 · W4380537154
article OA: diamond CC0
🔓 Open OA copy View on OpenAlex View at publisher

Abstract

The epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) of endometrial cells contributes to the development of endometrial cancer, endometriosis, and adenomyosis. We have recently reported that 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA), a protein kinase C activator, induces EMT in HHUA endometrial cells cultured on collagen type I gels. HHUA cells showed an obvious morphological change from spheroids to scattered spindle cells during the TPA-induced EMT. In this study, we searched for inhibitors of the TPA-induced morphological change, and isolated vitetrifolin D from Vitex rotundifolia leaves. Vitetrifolin D suppressed the TPA-induced downregulation of E-cadherin, a major component of the epithelial adherens junction. Since vitetrifolin D showed a modest cytotoxicity at the concentration required to inhibit E-cadherin downregulation, it would not be suitable as a drug to treat endometrial disorders. However, our cell morphology-based screening could contribute to the discovery of new compounds that inhibit the loss of epithelial cell junctions.

My notes (saved in your browser only)

Condition tags

endometriosisadenomyosis

Citation neighborhood (sparse)

Too few in-corpus citations on either side for a chart; here are the lists.

Cites (3)

References (19)

Source provenance

openalex
last seen: 2026-06-04T00:00:01.174412+00:00
License: CC0 · commercial use OK