Effects of co-treatment with sulforaphane and autophagy modulators on uridine 5′-diphospho-glucuronosyltransferase 1A isoforms and cytochrome P450 3A4 expression in Caco-2 human colon cancer cells

Sulforaphane (SFN), which is highly enriched in cruciferous vegetables, has been investigated for its cancer chemopreventive properties and ability to induce autophagy. Uridine 5′-diphospho (UDP)-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT)1A induction is one of the mechanisms that is responsible for the cancer chemopreventive activity of SFN. The current study demonstrates that rapamycin may enhance the chemopreventive effects of SFN on Caco-2 cells; this may be partially attributed to nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)- and human pregnane X receptor (hPXR)-mediated UGT1A1, UGT1A8 and UGT1A10 induction. These results indicate that targeting autophagy modulation may be a promising strategy for increasing the chemopreventive effects of SFN in cases of colon cancer.