Toosendanin Inhibits Colorectal Cancer Cell Growth Through the Hedgehog Pathway by Targeting SHH

Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common gastrointestinal cancers worldwide. It is complex and often fatal and is associated with a high disease-related mortality. The Hedgehog (Hh) signalling pathway plays indispensable roles in CRC. Many studies have proven that Shh is overexpressed in cancer stem cells (CSCs) and shown that SHH overexpression is positively correlated with CRC tumorigenesis. The development of new drugs to kill CRC cells through the Hh pathway is urgently needed. Toosendanin (TSN), a natural triterpenoid saponin extracted from the bark or fruit of Melia toosendan Sieb. et Zucc., has been proven to inhibit various tumours. Here, we demonstrated that TSN inhibited the CRC cell growth through the Hh signalling pathway by targeting SHH. TSN has promising potential as an antitumour agent for CRC treatment.