Lonicera japonica Thunb. Induces caspase‐dependent apoptosis through death receptors and suppression of AKT in U937 human leukemic cells

Decoctions obtained from the dried flowers of Lonicera japonica Thunb. (Indongcho) have been utilized in folk remedies against inflammatory diseases. Recently, many agents that have used for inflammatory diseases are showing anticancer effects. Here, we have isolated polyphenols extracted from lyophilized Lonicera japonica Thunb (PELJ) and investigated the anticancer effects of PELJ on U937 cells. Here, we demonstrated that PELJ induced apoptosis by upregulation of DR4 and Fas, and further it is augmented by suppression of XIAP. In addition, The PELJ‐induced apoptosis is at least in part by blocking PI3K/Akt pathway. These findings suggest that PELJ may provide evidence of anticancer activities on U937 cells. Further study for detailed mechanism and the effects on animal models is warranted to determine whether PELJ provide more conclusive evidence that PELJ which may provide a beneficial effect for treating cancer.     

Poncirin downregulates ATP‐binding cassette transporters to enhance cisplatin sensitivity in cisplatin‐resistant osteosarcoma cells

Poncirin, a flavanone glycoside with bitter taste extracted from dried immature fruit of Poncirus trifoliate, exhibits multiple biological activities including anti‐tumor activity. Our study aimed to determine the effect and potential mechanism of poncirin on cisplatin resistance in osteosarcoma (OS) cells. CCK‐8, flow cytometry analysis, and caspase‐3/7 activity assays were used to evaluate cisplatin sensitivity. The expression changes of multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1), multidrug resistance‐associated protein (MRP1), breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), and phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway‐related proteins were detected by RT‐qPCR or western blot analyses. Results showed that poncirin exposure enhanced cisplatin sensitivity, promoted apoptosis, and increased caspase‐3/7 activity in cisplatin‐resistant OS cells. Poncirin decreased the expression levels of MDR1, MRP1, and BCRP, and inhibited the PI3K/Akt signaling in OS cells. Rescue experiments suggested that activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling by 740Y‐P abolished poncirin‐induced expression reduction of MDR1, MRP1, and BCRP, and attenuated the facilitative effects of poncirin on cisplatin sensitivity and apoptosis in cisplatin‐resistant OS cells. In summary, poncirin suppressed cisplatin resistance in cisplatin‐resistant OS cells by downregulating the expression of MDR1, MRP1, and BCRP through inhibiting the PI3K/Akt pathway.     

Apigenin as an anticancer agent

Apigenin is an edible plant‐derived flavonoid that has been reported as an anticancer agent in several experimental and biological studies. It exhibits cell growth arrest and apoptosis in different types of tumors such as breast, lung, liver, skin, blood, colon, prostate, pancreatic, cervical, oral, and stomach, by modulating several signaling pathways. Apigenin induces apoptosis by the activation of extrinsic caspase‐dependent pathway by upregulating the mRNA expressions of caspase‐3, caspase‐8, and TNF‐α. It induces intrinsic apoptosis pathway as evidenced by the induction of cytochrome c, Bax, and caspase‐3, while caspase‐8, TNF‐α, and B‐cell lymphoma 2 levels remained unchanged in human prostate cancer PC‐3 cells. Apigenin treatment leads to significant downregulation of matrix metallopeptidases‐2, ?9, Snail, and Slug, suppressing invasion. The expressions of NF‐κB p105/p50, PI3K, Akt, and the phosphorylation of p‐Akt decreases after treatment with apigenin. However, apigenin‐mediated treatment significantly reduces pluripotency marker Oct3/4 protein expression which might be associated with the downregulation of PI3K/Akt/NF‐κB signaling.     

Morin enhances auranofin anticancer activity by up‐regulation of DR4 and DR5 and modulation of Bcl‐2 through reactive oxygen species generation in Hep3B human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Evidence suggests that auranofin (AF) exhibits anticancer activity by inhibiting thioredoxin reductase (TrxR). Here, in this study, we have investigated the synergistic effects of AF and morin and their mechanism for the anticancer effects focusing on apoptosis in Hep3B human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. We assessed the anticancer activities by annexin V/PI double staining, caspase, and TrxR activity assay. Morin enhances the inhibitory effects on TrxR activity of AF as well as reducing cell viability. Annexin V/PI double staining revealed that morin/AF cotreatment induced apoptotic cell death. Morin enhances AF‐induced mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) loss and cytochrome c release. Further, morin/AF cotreatment upregulated death receptor DR4/DR5, modulated Bcl‐2 family members (upregulation of Bax and downregulation of Bcl‐2), and activated caspase‐3, ‐8, and ‐9. Morin also enhances AF‐induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. The anticancer effects results from caspase‐dependent apoptosis, which was triggered via extrinsic pathway by upregulating TRAIL receptors (DR4/DR5) and enhanced via intrinsic pathway by modulating Bcl‐2 and inhibitor of apoptosis protein family members. These are related to ROS generation. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that morin can enhance the anticancer activity of AF in Hep3B human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, indicating that its combination could be an alternative treatment strategy for the hepatocellular carcinoma.     

Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) extract inhibits proliferation of breast cancer cells via modulation of Akt activity and p27 level

Danshen is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, often in combination with other herbs. To check the effect of Danshen on the proliferation of breast cancer cells, Danshen extract was used to treat MCF‐7 and MCF‐7 HER2 cells, the latter of which overexpresses HER2. HER2 is a receptor tyrosine kinase, and is involved in signal transduction pathways leading to tumor cell proliferation. MTT and cell proliferation assays revealed that Danshen strongly inhibited the proliferation of both MCF‐7 vec cells and MCF‐7 HER2 cells. Flow cytometry analyses indicated that Danshen induced cell cycle delay in the G1 phase. HER2 expression was shown to confer resistance to Danshen‐induced inhibition of proliferation and cell cycle delay, suggesting that HER2 is responsible for the resistance to Danshen. Danshen treatment induced the down‐regulation of Akt phosphorylation and an increase in p27 in MCF‐7 vec and MCF‐7 HER2 cells. Nevertheless, MCF‐7 HER2 cells were more resistant to the Danshen‐induced inhibition of Akt phosphorylation and p27 up‐regulation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rutin,a Quercetin Glycoside,Restores Chemosensitivity in Human Breast Cancer Cells

Several studies have documented the ability of flavonoids to sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapeutics and reverse multidrug resistance by inhibition of efflux pumps (adenosine triphosphate‐binding cassette transporters), apoptosis activation, and cell cycle arrest. In this study, the flavonoid rutin (quercetin 3‐O‐β‐d ‐rutinoside) was investigated as chemosensitizer towards two different human epithelial breast cancer cell lines: (i) MB‐MDA‐231, selected as representative for triple‐negative breast cancer and (ii) MCF‐7 used as a well‐characterized model of HER2‐negative breast cancer. To assess the cytocompatibility of rutin against non‐cancer cells, primary human mammary fibroblasts were used as control and non‐target cells. In MDA‐MB‐231 cells, 20 μM rutin enhanced cytotoxicity related to cyclophosphamide and methotrexate. Rutin significantly (p < 0.05) increased the anticancer activity of both chemotherapeutics, at 24–48–72 h, and decreased the activity of the adenosine triphosphate‐binding cassette transporters, namely, P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP). Flow cytometry analysis showed 20 μM and 50 μM rutin arrested cell cycle at G2/M and G0/G1 phases, respectively, significantly promoting cell apoptosis. Rutin, via non‐selective inhibition of P‐gp and BCRP pumps, efficiently reverses multidrug resistance and restores chemosensitivity to cyclophosphamide and cyclophosphamide of human chemoresistant, triple‐negative breast cancer cells, successfully arresting cell cycle progression. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Raf and PI3K are the Molecular Targets for the Anti‐metastatic Effect of Luteolin

Metastases are the primary cause of human cancer deaths. Luteolin, a naturally occurring phytochemical, has chemopreventive and/or anticancer properties in several cancer cell lines. However, anti‐metastatic effects of luteolin in vivo and the underlying molecular mechanisms and target(s) remain unknown. Luteolin suppresses matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐2 and ‐9 activities and invasion in murine colorectal cancer CT‐26 cells. Western blot and kinase assay data revealed that luteolin inhibited Raf and phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K) activities and subsequently attenuated phosphorylation of MEK and Akt. A pull‐down assay indicated that luteolin non‐competitively bound with ATP to suppress Raf activity and competitively bound with ATP to inhibit PI3K activity. GW5074, a Raf inhibitor, and LY294002, a PI3K inhibitor, inhibited MMP‐2 and ‐9 activities and invasion in CT‐26 cells. An in vivo mouse study showed that oral administration (10 or 50 mg/kg) of luteolin significantly inhibited tumor nodules and tumor volume of lung metastasis induced by intravenous injection of CT‐26 cells. Luteolin also inhibited MMP‐9 expression and activity in CT‐26‐induced mouse lung tissue. These results suggest that luteolin may have considerable potential for development as an anti‐metastatic agent. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ramalin‐Mediated Apoptosis Is Enhanced by Autophagy Inhibition in Human Breast Cancer Cells

Breast cancer, the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women worldwide, is treated in various ways. Ramalin is a chemical compound derived from the Antarctic lichen Ramalina terebrata and is known to exhibit antioxidant and antiinflammatory activities. However, its effect on breast cancer cells remains unknown. We examined the ability of ramalin to induce apoptosis and its mechanisms in MCF‐7 and MDA‐MB‐231 human breast cancer cell lines. Ramalin inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis in both cell lines in a concentration‐dependent manner. By upregulating Bax and downregulating Bcl‐2, ramalin caused cytochrome c and apoptosis‐inducing factor to be released from the mitochondria into the cytosol, thus activating the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. In addition, activated caspase‐8 and caspase‐9 were detected in both types of cells exposed to ramalin, whereas ramalin activated caspase‐3 only in the MDA‐MB‐231 cells. Ramalin treatment also increased the levels of LC3‐II and p62. Moreover, the inhibition of autophagy by 3‐methyladenine or Atg5 siRNA significantly enhanced ramalin‐induced apoptosis, which was accompanied by a decrease in Bcl‐2 levels and an increase in Bax levels. Therefore, autophagy appears to be activated as a protective mechanism against apoptosis in cancer cells exposed to ramalin. These findings suggest that ramalin is a potential anticancer agent for the treatment of patients with non‐invasive or invasive breast cancer. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fucoidan from Undaria pinnatifida induces apoptosis in A549 human lung carcinoma cells

Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide, has various biological activities, such as anticancer, antiangiogenic and antiinflammatory effects; however, the mechanisms of action of fucoidan on anticancer activity have not been fully elucidated. The anticancer effects of fucoidan from Undaria pinnatifida on A549 human lung carcinoma cells were examined. Treatment of A549 cells with fucoidan resulted in potent antiproliferative activity. Also, some typical apoptotic characteristics, such as chromatin condensation and an increase in the population of sub-G1 hypodiploid cells, were observed. With respect to the mechanism underlying the induction of apoptosis, fucoidan reduced Bcl-2 expression, but the expression of Bax was increased in a dose-dependent manner compared with the controls. Furthermore, fucoidan induced caspase-9 activation, but decreased the level of procaspase-3. Cleavage of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP), a vital substrate of effector caspase, was found. The study further investigated the role of the MAPK and PI3K/Akt pathways with respect to the apoptotic effect of fucoidan, and showed that fucoidan activates ERK1/2 in A549 cells. Unlike ERK1/2, however, treatment with fucoidan resulted in the down-regulation of phospho-p38 expression. In addition, fucoidan resulted in the down-regulation of phospho-PI3K/Akt. Together, these results indicate that fucoidan induces apoptosis of A549 human lung cancer cells through down-regulation of p38, PI3K/Akt, and the activation of the ERK1/2 MAPK pathway.     

红花多糖通过阻断PI3K/Akt/mTOR通路诱导人乳腺癌MDA-MB-435细胞凋亡的机制研究

目的研究红花多糖通过阻断PI3K/Akt/mTOR通路诱导人乳腺癌MDA-MB-435细胞凋亡的作用及其作用机制。方法将MDA-MB-435细胞分为对照组和红花多糖0.5、1.0 mg/mL组。MTT法及流式检测仪分别检测不同质量浓度红花多糖对MDA-MB-435细胞生长及凋亡的影响;RT-PCR及Western blotting法分别检测不同质量浓度红花多糖对MDA-MB-435细胞PI3K、Akt、mTOR mRNA和蛋白表达的影响。结果与对照组比较,红花多糖0.5 mg/mL组MDA-MB-435细胞抑制率为(21.52±2.43)%,红花多糖1.0 mg/mL组细胞抑制率为(27.73±3.75)%,显著高于红花多糖0.5 mg/m L组(P0.05);与对照组比较,红花多糖能够显著提高MDA-MB-435细胞凋亡率(P0.01),且呈剂量依赖性。RT-PCR及Western blotting实验结果显示,与对照组比较,红花多糖能够使MDA-MB-435细胞中PI3K、Akt、mTOR mRNA和蛋白表达显著降低(P0.05、0.01)。结论红花多糖能有效抑制MDA-MB-435细胞的生长,促进其凋亡,作用可能是通过对PI3K/Akt/mTOR通路的阻断实现的。     

6-Methoxydihydrosanguinarine induces apoptosis and autophagy in breast cancer MCF-7 cells by accumulating ROS to suppress the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway

6-Methoxydihydrosanguinarine (6-MDS) is a natural benzophenanthridine alkaloid extracted from Hylomecon japonica (Thunb.) Prantl. It is the first time to explore the effect and mechanism of 6-MDS in breast cancer. Network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation technology were adopted to identify the potential targets and pathways of 6-MDS in breast cancer. Besides, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and western blotting assays were conducted to investigate the effect of 6-MDS on MCF-7 cells. Network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation results confirmed the effect of 6-MDS on resisting breast cancer via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. In addition, the functional experiments results demonstrated that 6-MDS inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis and autophagy. The autophagy inhibitor chloroquine and the silence of Atg5 augmented the effect of 6-MDS on promoting apoptosis. Furthermore, 6-MDS suppressed the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, and the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 enhanced these changes and promoted the 6-MDS pro-apoptotic and autophagy effects. 6-MDS triggered the generation of reactive oxygen species. The pretreatment with antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine reversed the changes induced by 6-MDS, including increases in apoptosis and autophagy and inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. In conclusion, 6-MDS induces the apoptosis and autophagy of MCF-7 cells by ROS accumulation to suppress the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.     

连翘苷经PI3K/Akt信号通路干预肾细胞癌的机制研究

目的探讨连翘苷抑制人肾细胞腺癌786-0细胞生长、迁移及侵袭的作用机制。方法体外培养786-0细胞,在其中加入不同浓度连翘苷进行干预。MTT法检测细胞生存活力,AO/EB法检测细胞凋亡,划痕实验与Transwell实验分别考察细胞迁移、侵袭能力。Western blotting法检测细胞内PI3K、p-PI3K、Akt、p-Akt、FOXO3a、p-FOXO3a、p21、p27、Fasl、Bim、MMP-2及MMP-9蛋白表达情况。结果连翘苷可有效抑制肾癌细胞生长、促进凋亡,干扰细胞周期,上调p21、p27、Fasl及Bim表达水平,与对照组比较差异明显(P0.05、0.01);与对照组比较,不同浓度连翘苷可明显抑制肾癌细胞迁移与侵袭,减少MMP-2、MMP-9合成(P0.05、0.01);同时连翘苷能明显抑制PI3K、Akt、FOXO3a磷酸化(P0.05、0.01),且呈浓度依赖性。结论连翘苷可通过PI3K/Akt信号通路调控786-0细胞凋亡与细胞周期、抑制肾癌细胞生长;同时连翘苷经PI3K/Akt通路可有效削弱肾癌细胞迁移与侵袭能力。     

1,7‐Bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐4‐hepten‐3‐one from Betula platyphylla induces apoptosis by suppressing autophagy flux and activating the p38 pathway in lung cancer cells

Betula platyphylla (BP) is frequently administered in the treatment of various human diseases, including cancers. This study was undertaken to investigate the pharmacological function of the active components in BP and the underlying mechanism of its chemotherapeutic effects in human lung cancer cells. We observed that BP extracts and 1,7‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐4‐hepten‐3‐one (BE1), one of the components of BP, effectively decreased the cell viability of several lung cancer cell lines. BE1‐treated cells exhibited apoptosis induction and cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase. Further examination demonstrated that BE1 treatment resulted in suppression of autophagy, as evidenced by increased protein expression levels of both LC3 II and p62/SQSTM1. Interestingly, the pharmacological induction of autophagy with rapamycin remarkably reduced the BE1‐induced apoptosis, indicating that apoptosis induced by BE1 was associated with autophagy inhibition. Our data also demonstrated that BE1 exposure activated the p38 pathway resulting in regulation of the pro‐apoptotic activity. Taken together, we believe that BE1 is a potential anticancer agent for human lung cancer, which exerts its effect by enhancing apoptosis via regulating autophagy and the p38 pathway.     

Cytotoxic Impact of Costunolide Isolated from Costus speciosus on Breast Cancer via Differential Regulation of Cell Cycle—An In‐vitro and In‐silico Approach

Costunolide, a sesquiterpene lactone, is a biologically active molecule found in most of the medicinally valuable plants. The present study aims to evaluate the anticancer property of costunolide isolated from Costus speciosus against breast cancer cell lines (MCF‐7 and MDA‐MB‐231). Costunolide effectively reduced the viability of both MCF‐7 and MDA‐MB‐231 cell lines at an IC₅₀ value of 40 μM. Flow cytometric analysis revealed costunolide mediated cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase in both the cell types. Western blotting results confirmed the alterations in the expression of cell cycle regulators (cyclin D1, D3, CDK‐4, CDK‐6, p18 INK4c, p21 CIP1/Waf‐1 and p27 KIP1) and apoptosis inducers (caspase‐3 and caspase‐9) upon costunolide treatment in comparison with their expressions in normal breast cell line (MCF‐10A). Costunolide mediated downregulation of positive cell cycle regulators and upregulation of negative cell cycle regulators were related to the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells. The above results were validated with in‐silico results that predicted stable interactions between costunolide and cancer targets. Thus costunolide effectively induced breast cancer cell apoptosis targeting cell cycle regulation, and the compound can be used as an effective herbal therapeutic molecule to treat breast cancer with further explorations. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Calycosin ameliorates doxorubicin‐induced cardiotoxicity by suppressing oxidative stress and inflammation via the sirtuin 1–NOD‐like receptor protein 3 pathway

The limitation of doxorubicin (DOX), which is widely used for the treatment of solid tumors and hematologic malignancies, is a vital problem in clinical application. The most serious of limit factors is cardiotoxicity. Calycosin (CA), an isoflavonoid that is the major active component in Radix astragali, has been reported in many bioactivities including antitumor, anti‐inflammatory, and cardioprotection. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of CA on DOX‐induced cardiotoxicity in vitro and in vivo. CA increased H9c2 cell viability and reduced apoptosis induced by DOX via Bcl‐2, Bax, and the PI3K‐Akt signaling pathway. Moreover, CA prevented DOX‐induced oxidative stress in cells by decreasing the generation of reactive oxygen species. Similarly, oxidative stress was inhibited by CA through the increased activities of antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase and decreased the levels of aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and malondialdehyde in vivo. Furthermore, the levels of sirtuin 1 (Sirt1)–NOD‐like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) and related proteins were ameliorated by CA in cells and in mice hearts. When H9c2 cells were treated by Ex527 (Sirt1 inhibitor), the effect of CA on expressions of NLRP3 and thioredoxin‐interacting protein was suppressed. In conclusion, the results suggested that CA might be a cotreatment with DOX to ameliorate cardiotoxicity by Sirt1–NLRP3 pathway.     

α‐Hederin induces the apoptosis of gastric cancer cells accompanied by glutathione decrement and reactive oxygen species generation via activating mitochondrial dependent pathway

α‐Hederin, a monodesmosidic triterpenoid saponin, exhibited promising antitumor potential against a variety of human cancer cell lines. However, few related studies about effects of α‐hederin on gastric cancer are available. Herein, our results showed that α‐hederin significantly inhibited the proliferation of gastric cancer cells and arrested the cell cycle in G1 phase in vitro (p < .05). Further research of the potential mechanism reflected that α‐hederin could induce intracellular glutathione decrement, adenosine triphosphate level, and mitochondrial membrane potential variation via inducing reactive oxygen species accumulation during the apoptosis of gastric cancer cells. Moreover, the detection of mitochondrial and cytosol proteins with apoptosis‐inducing factor, apoptosis protease activating factor‐1, and cytochrome C showed an increase in the cytosol, followed by a decrease of Bcl‐2 levels and increases of caspase‐3, caspase‐8, caspase‐9, and Bax, which revealed that α‐hederin induced apoptosis via triggering activation of the mitochondrial pathway. Furthermore, the above changes were amplified when pretreated with buthionine sulfoximine, whereas attenuated in the group pretreated with NAC than α‐hederin alone (p < .05). In addition, α‐hederin significantly inhibited the growth of xenografted gastric tumors with favorable safety. In conclusion, α‐hederin could inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis of gastric cancer accompanied by glutathione decrement and reactive oxygen species generation via activating mitochondrial dependent pathway.     

The Synergistic Apoptotic Interaction of Panaxadiol and Epigallocatechin Gallate in Human Colorectal Cancer Cells

Panaxadiol (PD) is a purified sapogenin of ginseng saponins, which exhibits anticancer activity. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a major catechin in green tea, is a strong botanical antioxidant. In this study, we investigated the possible synergistic anticancer effects of PD and EGCG on human colorectal cancer cells and explored the potential role of apoptosis in the synergistic activities. Effects of selected compounds on HCT‐116 and SW‐480 human colorectal cancer cells were evaluated by a modified trichrome stain cell proliferation analysis. Cell cycle distribution and apoptotic effects were analyzed by flow cytometry after staining with PI/RNase or annexin V/PI. Cell growth was suppressed after treatment with PD (10 and 20 µm ) for 48 h. When PD (10 and 20 µm ) was combined with EGCG (10, 20, and 30 µm ), significantly enhanced antiproliferative effects were observed in both cell lines. Combining 20 µm of PD with 20 and 30 µm of EGCG significantly decreased S‐phase fractions of cells. In the apoptotic assay, the combination of PD and EGCG significantly increased the percentage of apoptotic cells compared with PD alone (p < 0.01). The synergistic apoptotic effects were also supported by docking analysis, which demonstrated that PD and EGCG bound in two different sites of the annexin V protein. Data from this study suggested that apoptosis might play an important role in the EGCG‐enhanced antiproliferative effects of PD on human colorectal cancer cells. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Apoptotic Effect of Galbanic Acid via Activation of Caspases and Inhibition of Mcl‐1 in H460 Non‐Small Lung Carcinoma Cells

Galbanic acid (GBA), a major compound of Ferula assafoetida, was known to have cytotoxic, anti‐angiogenic and apoptotic effects in prostate cancer and murine Lewis lung cancer cells; the underling apoptotic mechanism of GBA still remains unclear so far. Thus, in the present study, the apoptotic mechanism of GBA was investigated mainly in H460 non‐small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cells because H460 cells were most susceptible to GBA than A549, PC‐9 and HCC827 NSCLC cells. Galbanic acid showed cytotoxicity in wild EGFR type H460 and A549 cells better than other mutant type PC‐9 and HCC827 NSCLC cells. Also, GBA significantly increased the number of Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) positive cells and sub G1 population in H460 cells. Western blotting revealed that GBA cleaved poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP), activated Bax and caspase 9, attenuated the expression of Bcl‐2, Bcl‐x_L, and Myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl‐1) in H460 cells. However, interestingly, overexpression of Mcl‐1 blocked the ability of GBA to exert cytotoxicity, activate caspase9 and Bax, cleave PARP, and increase sub G1 accumulation in H460 cells. Overall, these findings suggest that GBA induces apoptosis in H460 cells via caspase activation and Mcl‐1 inhibition in H460 cells as a potent anticancer agent for NSCLC treatment. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Anticancer activity and molecular mechanisms of α‐conidendrin,a polyphenolic compound present in Taxus yunnanensis,on human breast cancer cell lines

α‐Conidendrin is a polyphenolic compound found mainly in Taxus yunnanensis, as the source of chemotherapy drug paclitaxel, which has been used in traditional medicine for treatment of cancer. This study aimed to investigate the anticancer activity and molecular mechanisms of α‐conidendrin on breast cancer cell lines. The results of the present study show that α‐conidendrin possesses potent antiproliferative effects on breast cancer cell lines MCF‐7 and MDA‐MB‐231. α‐Conidendrin significantly induced apoptosis in breast cancer cells via reactive oxygen species generation, upregulation of p53 and Bax, downregulation of Bcl‐2, depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, and activation of caspases‐3 and ‐9. α‐Conidendrin remarkably inhibited the proliferation of breast cancer cells through induction of cell cycle arrest by upregulating p53 and p21 and downregulating cyclin D1 and CDK4. Unlike breast cancer cells, the antiproliferative effect of α‐conidendrin on human foreskin fibroblast cells (normal cells) was very small. In normal cells, reactive oxygen species levels, loss of MMP, release of cytochrome c, mRNA expression of p53, p21, cyclin D1, CDK4, Bax, and Bcl‐2 as well as mRNA expression and activity of caspases‐3 and ‐9 were significantly less affected by α‐conidendrin compared with cancer cells. These results suggest that α‐conidendrin can be a promising agent for treatment of breast cancer with little or no toxicity against normal cells.     

[6]‐Gingerol enhances the cisplatin sensitivity of gastric cancer cells through inhibition of proliferation and invasion via PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Cisplatin‐based chemotherapy is a widely used chemotherapeutic regimen for gastric cancer; however, drug resistance limits its efficacy. [6]‐Gingerol has been found to exhibit anticancer effects. Here, we aim to explore the potential of [6]‐gingerol in combination with cisplatin as a new regimen for gastric cancer. CCK‐8 assay and colony formation assay were used to determine the effect of [6]‐gingerol in combination with cisplatin on cell viability of gastric cancer cells. Flow cytometry was performed to assess cell cycle distribution. Wound‐healing assay and transwell invasion assay were conducted to examine the migration and invasion abilities. Cell cycle and invasion‐related proteins and mRNAs, as well as PI3K/AKT signaling proteins, were assessed by western blotting and quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Combination of [6]‐gingerol with cisplatin inhibited cell viability and enhanced cell cycle arrest at G1 phase compared with cisplatin alone. The combination treatment inhibited cell migration and invasion ability and decreased cyclin D1, cyclin A2, matrix metalloproteinase‐9, p‐PI3K, AKT, and p‐AKT protein expressions and increased P21 and P27 mRNA levels. Our study demonstrates that [6]‐gingerol enhances the cisplatin sensitivity of gastric cancer cells and that the mechanisms involve G1 phase arrest, migration and invasion suppression via PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.