Calotropin: A cardenolide from calotropis gigantea that inhibits Wnt signaling by increasing casein kinase 1α in colon cancer cells

Wnt signaling plays key roles in embryonic development and various human diseases. Activity-guided testing to isolate Wnt signaling inhibitors from the methanol extract of Calotropis gigantea (Asclepiadaceae) exudutes identified six Wnt inhibitory cardenolides (1-6), of which 1, 3, 5, and 6 exhibited potent TCF/β-catenin inhibitory activities (IC₅₀ 0.7-3.6 nM). Calotropin (1) inhibited Wnt signaling by decreasing both nuclear and cytosolic β-catenin in a dose-dependent manner, and promoted degradation of β-catenin by increasing the phosphorylation of β-catenin at Ser45 through casein kinase 1α (CK1α). Moreover, 1 significantly increased CK1α protein and mRNA levels. The results suggest that 1 inhibits the Wnt signaling pathway by increasing CK1α protein levels. To the best of our knowledge, calotropin is the first small molecule to increase CK1α levels.