Anticancer Effects of Cucurbitacin B and Meleagrin Associated with TYRO3 Downregulation in Colorectal Cancer Cells

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a major cause of cancer mortality worldwide, highlighting the need for novel molecular targets and alternative therapeutic strategies. TYRO3, a member of the TAM receptor tyrosine kinase family, has been associated with tumor progression and poor prognosis in CRC. In this study, the effects of the natural compounds Meleagrin and Cucurbitacin B on TYRO3 expression and CRC cell behavior were investigated in HCT-116 and HT-29 cells. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and TYRO3 expression were evaluated using functional and expression-based analyses. Both compounds modulated TYRO3 expression and suppressed proliferation and wound closure dynamics in CRC cells. Cucurbitacin B exerted more pronounced antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects, whereas Meleagrin demonstrated antiproliferative activity with comparatively lower effects on normal colon epithelial cells (CCD 841 CoN), suggesting a potentially more favorable selectivity profile. Collectively, these findings support further mechanistic investigation of TYRO3-modulating natural compounds as potential therapeutic candidates for CRC.