Mechanism of Cucurbitacin’s Inhibition of Autophagy in Lung Cancer and Its Study in Magnetic Nano Piggyback System

Background: The mortality rate of lung cancer is increasing. Ferric oxide nanoparticles are magnetic and biocompatible nanomedicines. Cucurbitacin has anti-tumor activity. Its pharmacological effects and molecular mechanisms have attracted widespread attention. Research shows that cucurbitacin has good anti-cancer activity. Research on the molecular mechanism of ferric oxide nanoparticles carrying cucurbitacin inhibiting the development of lung cancer through Beclin-1 (BECN1) regulation of autophagy was carried out in the context of the many challenges faced by the current treatment of lung cancer. Objectives: This study intends to investigated the mechanism of cucurbitacin’s inhibition of autophagy in lung cancer. Materials and Methods: A549 cells were assigned to the negative control (NC) group, Fe3O4–Cu group, cucurbitacin (Cu) group, BECN1-inhibitor group, and BECN1-mimics group. The normal lung cell line, BEAS-2B, was taken as a control group. Fe3O4–Cu nanomaterials were prepared and used in cell experiments to observe the biological activity of A549 cells and the expression of BECN1-related genes. Results: Fe3O4–Cu was successfully prepared and found to have a good tumor suppressor effect in lung cancer. BECN1- inhibitor and BECN1-mimics were used to intervene in A549 cells, respectively. We found that promoting BECN1 expression is beneficial for promoting the autogenesis of A549 cells. In the process of upregulating the expression of BECN1, Fe3O4–Cu affects the autophagy-related proteins ATG5 and p62, thereby promoting autophagy and inhibiting the activities of lung cancer cells to a certain extent. Conclusion: BECN1 is involved in lung cancer. Fe3O4–Cu can actively inhibit the proliferation and migration of lung cancer cells and promote cell apoptosis. This is achieved by regulating the expression of BECN1. Fe3O4–Cu can promote BECN1 expression and affect the production of autophagy-related proteins, thereby promoting Lung cancer cell autophagy, thereby inhibiting the development of lung cancer, which provides a new nanomedicine delivery strategy for the treatment of lung cancer.