Distillers’ Grains-Derived Bioactive Fraction Suppresses Colorectal Cancer Progression Through Modulation of Autophagy-Associated PI3K/AKT Signaling

Fenjiu distillers’ grains are a major by-product of Fenjiu production and contain various bioactive components derived from cereal raw materials and microbial fermentation. Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a global health challenge, and the development of safe and effective therapeutic agents is urgently needed. In this study, we successfully obtained DGAE-1 (distillers’ grains ethanol extract fraction 1), an ethanol-extracted bioactive fraction derived from Fenjiu distillers’ grains, with anti-colorectal cancer activity. LC-MS analysis tentatively annotated the chemical constituents of DGAE-1 fraction based on MS/MS fragmentation patterns and database similarity matching, with the major annotated compounds belonging to carboxylic acids and derivatives, organic nitrogen compounds, organic phosphoric acid derivatives, and other chemical classes. These annotated compounds may contribute to the biological activity of DGAE-1 fraction, although the specific active constituents remain to be further clarified. DGAE-1 fraction inhibited colorectal cancer cell proliferation and induced autophagy. Further studies indicated that the PI3K/AKT pathway is involved in DGAE-1 fraction-induced autophagy. The results of this study demonstrate that DGAE-1 fraction exerts anti-colorectal cancer activity in both cellular and animal models. These findings provide new insights into the development and utilization of Fenjiu distillers’ grains and highlight their potential as a source of bioactive compounds for health-related applications.