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Abstract

Background Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the deadliest malignancies in the world. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) plays an important role in the progression of NSCLC. Bruceine D is a bioactive quassinoid compound extracted from Brucea javanica, a plant widely used in traditional Chinese medicine.Methods Tests of cell function were performed to observe the effects of bruceine D on human NSCLC cell lines (H460, PC-9, and SKMES-1). Levels of STAT3, phosphorylated STAT3, Survivin, and other apoptosis-related proteins were detected via Western blotting. The binding of bruceine D to STAT3 was examined using molecular dynamics simulations and surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy. The effect of bruceine D on STAT3 nuclear localization was examined by immunofluorescence. Furthermore, the glucose uptake, lactate production, and extracellular acidification rates of NSCLC cells were analyzed to confirm that bruceine D inhibited glycolysis in NSCLC. The efficacy of bruceine D in vivo was evaluated in a mouse xenotransplantation model.Results Bruceine D significantly reduced the viability of NSCLC cells, promoted apoptosis, and inhibited the growth of tumors in a mouse xenograft model. Bruceine D was found to bind directly to STAT3, inhibiting glycolysis in NSCLC cells. Western blotting results suggested that the antitumor effects of bruceine D might be mediated by the inhibition of the phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of STAT3.Conclusion Bruceine D exerts a strong inhibitory effect on NSCLC in vitro and in vivo. Bruceine D has potential application prospects in the field of anti-NSCLC therapy.