The Effect of Sophoridine on NSCLC by Down Regulation of mTOR and NOTCH1

Introduction Sophoridine, an alkaloid compound which is isolated from various plant species like Sophoraalopecuroides and Sophora flavescens. It identified to have potential pharmacological properties, including anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antiviral activities. The effect of the sophoridine on mTOR and NOTCH1 pathways that are critical in NSCLC is not well understood. Materials and Methods In order to assess the virtual interaction of mTOR and NOTCH1 with sophoridine, we employed molecular docking. We also performed an in vitro analysis using the NSCLC cell line (A549) using MTT, RT-PCR, western blot and wound healing assays. Results and Discussion We report strong interaction of sophoridine with mTOR and it exhibited cytotoxic effect on NSCLC cells, causing downregulation of the mTOR and NOTCH1 genes. We used a wound-healing assay to assess its impact on cell migration in NSCLC cells and our findings confirmed that sophoridine significantly (p = 0.0265) inhibits cell migration in A549 cells. Conclusion Our study indicates sophoridine to be potential anti-cancer drug in NSCLC cell via inhibition of mTOR and NOTCH1 axis.