Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Anti-Tumor Mechanism of Eucalyptol Treatment on Neuroblastoma Cell Line SH-SY5Y

Eucalyptol (1.8-cineole), an active component in traditional Chinese medicine Artemisia argyi for moxibustion. Previous studies have shown that eucalyptol has anti-tumor effects on leukemia and colon cancer. Nonetheless, the effect and mechanism of eucalyptol on neuroblastoma remains unclear. In the present study, we intended to reveal the effect and mechanism of eucalyptol treatment on the neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y through transcriptome analysis. In the group treated with eucalyptol, 566 brain genes were up-regulated, while 757 genes were down-regulated. GO function analysis showed that positive regulation of cell cycle was down-regulated in biological processes. Meanwhile, cancer-related pathways were identified in KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) enrichment analysis, including pathways in cancer, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, cAMP signaling pathway, TGF-beta signaling pathway, Hippo signaling pathway, p53 signaling pathway, and additional pathways. Furthermore, we found a key gene, such as MYC, by constructing a network of cancer related pathways with differentially expressed genes and transcription factor analysis. In conclusion, our research indicates that MYC might play a central role in the anit-tumor mechanisms of eucalyptol.