Sample records for cancer cells ic50

  1. Selectivity of Pinus sylvestris extract and essential oil to estrogen-insensitive breast cancer cells Pinus sylvestris against cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Hoai, Nguyen Thi; Duc, Ho Viet; Thao, Do Thi; Orav, Anne; Raal, Ain

    2015-10-01

    So far, the anticancer action of pine tree extracts has mainly been shown for the species distributed widely around the Asian countries. Therefore, this study was performed to examine the potential cytotoxicity of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) native also to the European region and growing widely in Estonia. The cytotoxic activity of methanol extract and essential oil of Scots pine needles was determined by sulforhodamine B assay in different human cancer cell lines. This needle extract was found to suppress the viability of several human cancer cell lines showing some selectivity to estrogen receptor negative breast cancer cells, MDA-MB-231(half maximal inhibitory concentration [IC50] 35 μg/ml) in comparison with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells, MCF-7 (IC50 86 μg/ml). It is the strongest cytotoxic effect at all measured, thus far for the needles and leaves extracts derived from various pine species, and is also the first study comparing the anticancer effects of pine tree extracts on molecularly different human breast cancer cells. The essential oil showed the stronger cytotoxic effect to both negative and positive breast cancer cell lines (both IC50 29 μg/ml) than pine extract (IC50 42 and 80 μg/ml, respectively). The data from this report indicate that Scots pine needles extract and essential oil exhibits some potential as chemopreventive or chemotherapeutic agent for mammary tumors unresponsive to endocrine treatment.

  2. Synthesis, characterization and anticancer studies of Ni(II), Pd(II) and Pt(II) complexes with Schiff base derived from N-methylhydrazinecarbothioamide and 2-hydroxy-5-methoxy-3-nitrobenzaldehyde

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arafath, Md. Azharul; Adam, Farook; Razali, Mohd. R.; Ahmed Hassan, Loiy E.; Ahamed, Mohamed B. Khadeer; Majid, Amin Malik S. A.

    2017-02-01

    A carbothioamide NSO tridentate Schiff base ligand (HL) and its square planar complexes Na[NiLOAc], Na[PdLOAc] and [PtLdmso] have been synthesized and characterized on the basis of melting point, elemental analysis, FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, UV-Vis spectra. The structure of HL was elucidated with X-ray diffraction analysis. In the present study, the synthesized compounds were evaluated for their anticancer properties against three human cancer cell lines breast cancer (MCF-7), cervical (Hela), and colon (HCT-116). In addition, the cytotoxicity of the synthesized compounds was tested on a normal human cell line (human endothelial cell line EA.hy926). Among the tested compounds, the complex [NiLOAc] excelled in halting proliferation of the cervical and colon cancer cells with median inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 28.33 and 34.4 μM, respectively. The complex, [PdLOAc] demonstrated selective cytotoxicity against breast cancer line MCF-7 with IC50 = 47.5 μM, while HL showed inhibitory effect against colon cancer cell line (HCT-116) with IC50 = 55.66 μM. The complex, [PtLdmso] showed mild activity against breast cancer (MCF-7) and cervical cancer (Hela) cells with IC50 = 64.44 and 68.3 μM, respectively, whereas, it displayed insignificant cytotoxicity against human endothelial cells (EA.hy926) with IC50 > 200 μM. Cancer cells treated with [NiLOAc] showed apoptotic features such as membrane blebbing and DNA condensation. Thus, the findings of the present study demonstrated that the series of metal complexes of HL could form the new lead for development of cancer chemotherapies to treat human cervical, breast and colon malignancies.

  3. Selectivity of Pinus sylvestris extract and essential oil to estrogen-insensitive breast cancer cells Pinus sylvestris against cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    Hoai, Nguyen Thi; Duc, Ho Viet; Thao, Do Thi; Orav, Anne; Raal, Ain

    2015-01-01

    Background: So far, the anticancer action of pine tree extracts has mainly been shown for the species distributed widely around the Asian countries. Objective: Therefore, this study was performed to examine the potential cytotoxicity of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) native also to the European region and growing widely in Estonia. Materials and Methods: The cytotoxic activity of methanol extract and essential oil of Scots pine needles was determined by sulforhodamine B assay in different human cancer cell lines. Results: This needle extract was found to suppress the viability of several human cancer cell lines showing some selectivity to estrogen receptor negative breast cancer cells, MDA-MB-231(half maximal inhibitory concentration [IC50] 35 μg/ml) in comparison with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells, MCF-7 (IC50 86 μg/ml). It is the strongest cytotoxic effect at all measured, thus far for the needles and leaves extracts derived from various pine species, and is also the first study comparing the anticancer effects of pine tree extracts on molecularly different human breast cancer cells. The essential oil showed the stronger cytotoxic effect to both negative and positive breast cancer cell lines (both IC50 29 μg/ml) than pine extract (IC50 42 and 80 μg/ml, respectively). Conclusion: The data from this report indicate that Scots pine needles extract and essential oil exhibits some potential as chemopreventive or chemotherapeutic agent for mammary tumors unresponsive to endocrine treatment. PMID:26664017

  4. Enhancing the efficiency of bortezomib conjugated to pegylated gold nanoparticles: an in vitro study on human pancreatic cancer cells and adenocarcinoma human lung alveolar basal epithelial cells.

    PubMed

    Coelho, Sílvia Castro; Almeida, Gabriela M; Santos-Silva, Filipe; Pereira, Maria Carmo; Coelho, Manuel A N

    2016-08-01

    Gold nanoparticles have become promising vectors for cancer diagnosis and treatment. The present study investigates the effect of bortezomib (BTZ), a proteasome inhibitor, conjugated with pegylated gold nanoparticles (PEGAuNPs) in pancreatic and lung cancer cells. Synthesized gold nanoparticles (PEGAuNPs) were conjugated with bortezomib antitumor drug. We investigated the cytotoxicity induced by BTZ conjugated with functionalized gold nanoparticles in vitro, in the human pancreatic (S2-013) and lung (A549) cancer cell lines. We found an efficient of conjugation of BTZ with PEGAuNPs. In vitro assays showed that after 72 h' incubation with PEGAuNPs-BTZ cancer cells revealed alterations in morphology; also for S2-013 and A549 cancer cells, the IC50 value of free BTZ is respectively 1.5 and 4.3 times higher than the IC50 value of PEGAuNPs-BTZ. Furthermore, for TERT-HPNE, the IC50 value is around 63 times lower for free BTZ than the conjugated nanovehicle. Cell growth inhibition results showed a remarkable enhancement in the effect of BTZ when conjugated with AuNPs. Our findings showed that conjugation with PEGAuNPs enhance the BTZ growth-inhibition effect on human cancer cells (S2-013 and A549) and decreases its toxicity against normal cells (TERT-HPNE).

  5. Cytotoxic activity of erypogein d from erythrina poeppigiana (leguminosae) against cervical cancer (HeLa), breast cancer (MCF-7) and ovarian cancer (SKOV-3) cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herlina, T.; Gaffar, S.; Widowati, W.

    2018-05-01

    Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells and continues to divide rapidly in the body. Current anticancer treatment usually causes many side effects. Natural products are then explored to be new alternatives for cancer treatment. Flavonoids have been known to possess medicinal properties, including anticancer. This study was performed to observe the cytotoxic activity of isoflavanone compound, erypogein D from Erythrina poeppigiana, toward cervical cancer (HeLa), breast cancer (MCF-7) and ovarian cancer (SKOV-3) cells. The cytotoxic activity of erypogein D was tested using MTS (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3- carboxyme-thoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium) assay. The percentage of cell mortality was calculated and the IC50 was analyzed using probit analysis. The result showed that cytotoxic activity of the erypogein D against HeLa, SKOV-3, and MCF-7 cells had an IC50 value 225, 70.74, and 30.12 μM, respectively. Based on IC50 value can be concluded that erypogein D is the most cytotoxic to breast cancer MCF-7 cell. However the cytotoxic activity of erypogein D toward MCF7 is moderate.

  6. Synthesis of novel amides based on acridone scaffold with interesting antineoplastic activity.

    PubMed

    Mahajan, Anand A; Rane, Rajesh A; Amritkar, Anish A; Naphade, Shital S; Miniyar, Pankaj B; Bangalore, Pavan Kumar; Karpoormath, Rajshekhar

    2015-01-01

    In search of novel cytotoxic agents based on acridone scaffold, twenty five derivatives of acridone-2- carboxamide were synthesized and evaluated against a panel of eleven cancer cell lines by using MTT assay. Amides, A5 and A8 (IC50 = 0.3 µM) exhibited good cytotoxicity against MCF7. Compound A22 (IC50 = 4.3 µM) was found to be selectively cytotoxic against cancer cell line MCF7 and KB403. Particularly, promising cytotoxic activities were shown by amides A6 (IC50 = 0.7 µM), A16 (IC50 = 6.3 µM), A8 (IC50 = 0.9 µM ), A21 (IC50 = 1.3 µM), A5 (IC50 = 2.9 µM), A8 (IC50 = 2.8 µM), A14 (IC50 = 0.8 µM), A9 (IC50 = 0.8 µM) and A8 (IC50 = 0.4 µM) against cell lines; PA1, WRL68, CaCO2, TK-10, K-562, PC-3, HOP-92, ECV-304 and UACC-257, respectively. The favorable cytotoxic profile and non-toxicity towards normal human cells displayed by the derivative revealed their potential for further anticancer drug developments.

  7. Enhancement of cytotoxicity of antimicrobial peptide magainin II in tumor cells by bombesin-targeted delivery

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Shan; Yang, Hao; Wan, Lin; Cai, Hua-wei; Li, Sheng-fu; Li, You-ping; Cheng, Jing-qiu; Lu, Xiao-feng

    2011-01-01

    Aim: To investigate whether the conjugation of magainin II (MG2), an antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), to the tumor-homing peptide bombesin could enhance its cytotoxicity in tumor cells. Methods: A magainin II-bombesin conjugate (MG2B) was constructed by attaching magainin II (MG2) to bombesin at its N-terminus. The peptides were synthesized using Fmoc-chemistry. The in vitro cytotoxicity of the peptide in cancer cells was quantitatively determined using the CCK-8 cell counting kit. Moreover, the in vivo antitumor effect of the peptide was determined in tumor xenograft models. Results: The IC50 of MG2B for cancer cells (10–15 μmol/L) was at least 10 times lower than the IC50 of unconjugated MG2 (125 μmol/L). Moreover, the binding affinity of MG2B for cancer cells was higher than that of unconjugated MG2. In contrast, conjugation to a bombesin analog lacking the receptor-binding domain failed to increase the cytotoxicity of MG2, suggesting that bombesin conjugation enhances the cytotoxicity of MG2 in cancer cells through improved binding. Indeed, MG2B selectively induced cell death in cancer cells in vitro with the IC50 ranging from 10 to 15 μmol/L, which was about 6–10 times lower than the IC50 for normal cells. MG2B (20 mg/kg per day, intratumorally injected for 5 d) also exhibited antitumor effects in mice bearing MCF-7 tumor grafts. The mean weights of tumor grafts in MG2B- and PBS-treated mice were 0.21±0.05 g and 0.59±0.12 g, respectively. Conclusion: The results suggest that conjugation of AMPs to bombesin might be an alternative approach for targeted cancer therapy. PMID:21131998

  8. Effect of Her-2/neu Signaling on Sensitivity to TRAIL in Prostate Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-06-01

    cytokines (18), and matrix metalloprotease inhibitors (19) are able to render TRAIL-resistant tumor cells sensitive to TRAIL apoptosis. In recent...TRAIL-induced cytotoxicity. As DU-145 cells were treated with acetyl salicylic acid (ASA: aspirin), an inhibitor of IKK , we observed that TRAIL...sulfide (IC50 = 1.02 M for COX-1 and IC50 = 10.43 M for COX-2), NS-398 (a selective COX-2 inhibitor ; IC50 = 4.81 M for COX-1 and IC50 = 0.47 M for COX-2

  9. Umbelliprenin is cytotoxic against QU-DB large cell lung cancer cell line but anti-proliferative against A549 adenocarcinoma cells

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Umbelliprenin is a natural compound, belonging to the class of sesquiterpene coumarins. Recently, umbelliprenin has attracted the researchers' attention for its antitumor activities against skin tumors. Its effect on lung cancer is largely unknown. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of this natural compound, which is expected to have low adverse effects, on lung cancer. Methods The QU-DB large cell and A549 adenocarcinoma lung cancer cell lines were treated with umbelliprenin. IC50 values were estimated using methyl thiazolely diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, in which a decrease in MTT reduction can occur as a result of cell death or cell proliferation inhibition. To quantify the rate of cell death at IC50 values, flow cytometry using Annexin V-FITC (for apoptotic cells), and propidium iodide (for necrotic cells) dyes were employed. Results Data from three independent MTT experiments in triplicate revealed that IC50 values for QU-DB and A549 were 47 ± 5.3 μM and 52 ± 1.97 μM, respectively. Annexin V/PI staining demonstrated that umbelliprenin treatment at IC50 induced 50% cell death in QU-DB cells, but produced no significant death in A549 cells until increasing the umbelliprenin concentration to IC80. The pattern of cell death was predominantly apoptosis in both cell lines. When peripheral blood mononuclear cells were treated with 50 μM and less concentrations of umbelliprenin, no suppressive effect was observed. Conclusions We found cytotoxic/anti-proliferative effects of umbelliprenin against two different types of lung cancer cell lines. PMID:23351548

  10. Anti-proliferation and Apoptosis Induction of Aqueous Leaf Extract of Carica papaya L. on Human Breast Cancer Cells MCF-7.

    PubMed

    Zuhrotun Nisa, Fatma; Astuti, Mary; Murdiati, Agnes; Mubarika Haryana, Sofia

    2017-01-01

    Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women. Chemotherapy is the main method of breast cancer treatment but there are side effects. Carica papaya leaves is vegetable foods consumed by most people of Indonesia have potential as anticancer. The aim of this study was to investigate anti-proliferative and apoptotic induced effect of aqueous papaya leaves extracts on human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7. Inhibitory on cell proliferation was measured by MTT assay while apoptosis induction was measured using Annexin V. The results showed that papaya leaf can inhibit the proliferation of human breast cancer cells MCF-7 with IC50 in 1319.25 μg mL-1. The IC50 values of papaya leaf extract was higher than the IC50 value quercetin and doxorubicin. Papaya leaf extract can also induce apoptosis of breast cancer cells MCF-7 about 22.54% for concentration 659.63 μg mL-1 and about 20.73% for concentration 329.81 μg mL-1. The percentage of cell apoptosis of papaya leaf extract lower than doxorubicin but higher than quercetin. This study indicated that papaya leaf extract have potential as anticancer through mechanism anti-proliferation and apoptosis induction.

  11. Cranberry Proanthocyanidins are Cytotoxic to Human Cancer Cells and Sensitize Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer Cells to Paraplatin

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Ajay P.; Singh, Rakesh K.; Kim, Kyu Kwang; Satyan, K. S.; Nussbaum, Roger; Torres, Monica; Brard, Laurent; Vorsa, Nicholi

    2010-01-01

    Polyphenolic extracts of the principal flavonoid classes present in cranberry were screened in vitro for cytotoxicity against solid tumor cells lines, identifying two fractions composed principally of proanthocyanidins (PACs) with potential anticancer activity. Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) analysis of the proanthocyanidins (PACs) fractions indicated the presence of A-type PACs with 1–4 linkages containing between 2–8 epicatechin units with a maximum of 1 epigallocatechin unit. PACs exhibited in vitro cytotoxicity against platinum-resistant human ovarian, neuroblastoma and prostate cancer cell lines (IC50 = 79–479 μg/mL) but were non-cytotoxic to lung fibroblast cells (IC50 > 1000 μg/ml). SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells treated with PACs exhibited classic apoptotic changes. PACs acted synergistically with paraplatin in SKOV-3 cells. Pretreatment of SKOV-3 cells with PACs (106 μg/ ml) resulted in a significant reduction of the paraplatin IC50 value. Similarly, in a BrdU incorporation assay, co-treatment of SKOV-3 cells with PACs and paraplatin revealed reduced cell proliferation at lower concentrations than with either individually. In SKOV-3 cell cultures co-treated with PAC-1 and paraplatin, an HPLC analysis indicated differential quantitative presence of various PAC oligomers such as DP-8, -9, -11 and -14 indicating either selective binding or uptake. Cranberry proanthocyanidins exhibit cell-line specific cytotoxicity, induce apoptotic markers and augment cytotoxicity of paraplatin in platinum-resistant SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells. PMID:19172579

  12. Novel microtubule-targeted agent 6-chloro-4-(methoxyphenyl) coumarin induces G2-M arrest and apoptosis in HeLa cells

    PubMed Central

    Ma, Yi-ming; Zhou, Yu-bo; Xie, Chuan-ming; Chen, Dong-mei; Li, Jia

    2012-01-01

    Aim: To identify a novel coumarin analogue with the highest anticancer activity and to further investigate its anticancer mechanisms. Methods: The viability of cancer cells was investigated using the MTT assay. The cell cycle progression was evaluated using both flow cytometric and Western blotting analysis. Microtubule depolymerization was observed with immunocytochemistry in vivo and a tubulin depolymerization assay in vitro. Apoptosis was demonstrated using Annexin V/Propidium Iodide (PI) double-staining and sub-G1 analysis. Results: Among 36 analogues of coumarin, 6-chloro-4-(methoxyphenyl) coumarin showed the best anticancer activity (IC50 value about 200 nmol/L) in HCT116 cells. The compound had a broad spectrum of anticancer activity against 9 cancer cell lines derived from colon cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer, cervical cancer, leukemia, epidermoid cancer with IC50 value of 75 nmol/L–1.57 μmol/L but with low cytotocitity against WI-38 human lung fibroblasts (IC50 value of 12.128 μmol/L). The compound (0.04–10 μmol/L) induced G2-M phase arrest in HeLa cells in a dose-dependent manner, which was reversible after the compound was removed. The compound (10–300 μmol/L) induced the depolymerization of purified porcine tubulin in vitro. Finally, the compound (0.04–2.5 μmol/L) induced apoptosis of HeLa cells in dose- and time-dependent manners. Conclusion: 6-Chloro-4-(methoxyphenyl) coumarin is a novel microtubule-targeting agent that induces G2–M arrest and apoptosis in HeLa cells. PMID:22266726

  13. Synthesis, Characterization, and Anti-Cancer Activity of Some New N'-(2-Oxoindolin-3-ylidene)-2-propylpentane hydrazide-hydrazones Derivatives.

    PubMed

    El-Faham, Ayman; Farooq, Muhammad; Khattab, Sherine N; Abutaha, Nael; Wadaan, Mohammad A; Ghabbour, Hazem A; Fun, Hoong-Kun

    2015-08-13

    Eight novel N'-(2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)-2-propylpentane hydrazide-hydrazone derivatives 4a-h were synthesized and fully characterized by IR, NMR ((1)H-NMR and (13)C-NMR), elemental analysis, and X-ray crystallography. The cyto-toxicity and in vitro anti-cancer evaluation of the prepared compounds have been assessed against two different human tumour cell lines including human liver (HepG2) and leukaemia (Jurkat), as well as in normal cell lines derived from human embryonic kidney (HEK293) using MTT assay. The compounds 3e, 3f, 4a, 4c, and 4e revealed promising anti-cancer activities in tested human tumour cells lines (IC50 values between 3 and 7 μM) as compared to the known anti-cancer drug 5-Fluorouracil (IC50 32-50 μM). Among the tested compounds, 4a showed specificity against leukaemia (Jurkat) cells, with an IC50 value of 3.14 μM, but this compound was inactive in liver cancer and normal cell lines.

  14. Propolis from the Stingless Bee Trigona incisa from East Kalimantan, Indonesia, Induces In Vitro Cytotoxicity and Apoptosis in Cancer Cell lines.

    PubMed

    Kustiawan, Paula M; Phuwapraisirisan, Preecha; Puthong, Songchan; Palaga, Tanapat; Arung, Enos T; Chanchao, Chanpen

    2015-01-01

    Previously, stingless bee (Trigona spp.) products from East Kalimantan, Indonesia, were successfully screened for in vitro antiproliferative activity against human cancer derived cell lines. It was established that propolis from T. incisa presented the highest in vitro cytotoxicity against the SW620 colon cancer cell line (6% cell survival in 20 μg/mL). Propolis from T. incisa was extracted with methanol and further partitioned with n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol. The in vitro cytotoxicity of the extracts was assessed by the MTT assay against human colon (SW620), liver (Hep-G2), gastric (KATO-III), lung (Chago) and breast (BT474) cancer derived cell lines. The active fractions were further enriched by silica gel quick column, absorption and size exclusion chromatography. The purity of each fraction was checked by thin layer chromatography. Cytotoxicity in BT-474 cells induced by cardanol compared to doxorubicin were evaluated by MTT assay, induction of cell cycle arrest and cell death by flow cytometric analysis of propidium iodide and annexin-V stained cells. A cardol isomer was found to be the major compound in one active fraction (F45) of T. incisa propolis, with a cytotoxicity against the SW620 (IC50 of 4.51±0.76 μg/mL), KATO-III (IC50 of 6.06±0.39 μg/mL), Hep-G2 (IC50 of 0.71±0.22 μg/mL), Chago I (IC50 of 0.81±0.18 μg/mL) and BT474 (IC50 of 4.28±0.14 μg/mL) cell lines. Early apoptosis (programmed cell death) of SW620 cells was induced by the cardol containing F45 fraction at the IC50 and IC80 concentrations, respectively, within 2-6 h of incubation. In addition, the F45 fraction induced cell cycle arrest at the G1 subphase. Indonesian stingless bee (T. incisa) propolis had moderately potent in vitro anticancer activity on human cancer derived cell lines. Cardol or 5-pentadecyl resorcinol was identified as a major active compound and induced apoptosis in SW620 cells in an early period (≤6 h) and cell cycle arrest at the G1 subphase. Thus, cardol is a potential candidate for cancer chemotherapy.

  15. Combination of Oxaliplatin and Vit.E-TPGS in Lipid Nanosystem for Enhanced Therapeutic Efficacy in Colon Cancers.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yanlei; Zhang, Xiang; Zhang, Wenqiang; Dong, Hao; Zhang, Wenjie; Mao, Jiajia; Dai, Yong

    2018-01-08

    The main aim of present study was to prepare the oxaliplatin (OXL)-loaded D-α-Tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS)-based lipid nanoparticles to enhance the anticancer effect in colon cancer cells. The nanoparticles were nanosized and spherical shaped and exhibited controlled release kinetics. Flow cytometer and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) showed a remarkable uptake of nanoparticles in cancer cells in a time-dependent manner. The presence of TPGS remarkably increased the anticancer effect of OXL in HT-29 colon cancer cells. The IC50 value of free OXL was 4.25 μg/ml whereas IC50 value of OXL-loaded TPGS-based lipid nanoparticles (OXL/TLNP) was 1.12 μg/ml. The 3-fold lower IC50 value of OXL/TLNP indicates the superior anticancer effect of nanoparticle-based OXL. Consistently, OXL/TLNP induced a remarkable apoptosis of cancer cells. Approximately, ~52% of cells were in early apoptosis phase and ~13% of cells were in late apoptosis phase indicating the potent anticancer effect of the formulations. The findings from this study provide novel insights into the use of TPGS and lipid nanoparticle together for the better antitumor effect in colon cancers. Future studies will involve the detailed in vitro and in vivo studies on clinically relevant animals.

  16. Selective Killing of Breast Cancer Cells by Doxorubicin-Loaded Fluorescent Gold Nanoclusters: Confocal Microscopy and FRET.

    PubMed

    Chattoraj, Shyamtanu; Amin, Asif; Jana, Batakrishna; Mohapatra, Saswat; Ghosh, Surajit; Bhattacharyya, Kankan

    2016-01-18

    Fluorescent gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) capped with lysozymes are used to deliver the anticancer drug doxorubicin to cancer and noncancer cells. Doxorubicin-loaded AuNCs cause the highly selective and efficient killing (90 %) of breast cancer cells (MCF7) (IC50 =155 nm). In contrast, the killing of the noncancer breast cells (MCF10A) by doxorubicin-loaded AuNCs is only 40 % (IC50 =4500 nm). By using a confocal microscope, the fluorescence spectrum and decay of the AuNCs were recorded inside the cell. The fluorescence maxima (at ≈490-515 nm) and lifetime (≈2 ns), of the AuNCs inside the cells correspond to Au10-13 . The intracellular release of doxorubicin from AuNCs is monitored by Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) imaging. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Nanoparticles of Selaginella doederleinii leaf extract inhibit human lung cancer cells A549

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Syaefudin; Juniarti, A.; Rosiyana, L.; Setyani, A.; Khodijah, S.

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the present study is to evaluate cytotoxicity effect of nanoparticles of Selaginella doederleinii (S. doederleinii) leaves extract. S. doederleinii was extracted by maceration method using 70%(v/v) ethanol as solvent. Phytochemical content was analyzed qualitatively by using Harborne and Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) methods. Nanoparticle extract was prepared by ionic gelation using chitosan as encapsulant agent. Anticancer activity was performed by using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The results showed that S. doederleinii contains of flavonoids. Nanoparticle of S. doederleinii leaves extract greatly inhibited A549 cells growth (cancer cells), with IC50 of 3% or 1020 μg/ml. These nanoparticles extract also inhibited the growth of Chang cells (normal cells), with IC50 of 4% or 1442 μg/ml. The effective concentration of nanoparticles extract which inhibits cancer cells without harming the normal cells is 0.5% or 167 μg/ml. Further studies are needed to obtain the concentration of nanoparticles extract which can selectively suppress cancer cells.

  18. Metabolites of Ginger Component [6]-Shogaol Remain Bioactive in Cancer Cells and Have Low Toxicity in Normal Cells: Chemical Synthesis and Biological Evaluation

    PubMed Central

    Zhu, Yingdong; Chen, Huadong; Sang, Shengmin

    2013-01-01

    Our previous study found that [6]-shogaol, a major bioactive component in ginger, is extensively metabolized in cancer cells and in mice. It is unclear whether these metabolites retain bioactivity. The aim of the current study is to synthesize the major metabolites of [6]-shogaol and evaluate their inhibition of growth and induction of apoptosis in human cancer cells. Twelve metabolites of [6]-shogaol (M1, M2, and M4–M13) were successfully synthesized using simple and easily accessible chemical methods. Growth inhibition assays showed that most metabolites of [6]-shogaol had measurable activities against human cancer cells HCT-116 and H-1299. In particular, metabolite M2 greatly retained the biological activities of [6]-shogaol, with an IC50 of 24.43 µM in HCT-116 human colon cancer cells and an IC50 of 25.82 µM in H-1299 human lung cancer cells. Also exhibiting a relatively high potency was thiol-conjugate M13, with IC50 values of 45.47 and 47.77 µM toward HCT-116 and H-1299 cells, respectively. The toxicity evaluation of the synthetic metabolites (M1, M2, and M4–M13) against human normal fibroblast colon cells CCD-18Co and human normal lung cells IMR-90 demonstrated a detoxifying metabolic biotransformation of [6]-shogaol. The most active metabolite M2 had almost no toxicity to CCD-18Co and IMR-90 normal cells with IC50s of 99.18 and 98.30 µM, respectively. TUNEL (Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling) assay indicated that apoptosis was triggered by metabolites M2, M13, and its two diastereomers M13-1 and M13-2. There was no significant difference between the apoptotic effect of [6]-shogaol and the effect of M2 and M13 after 6 hour treatment. PMID:23382939

  19. Anti-cancer Effect of Xao Tam Phan Paramignya trimera Methanol Root Extract on Human Breast Cancer Cell Line MCF-7 in 3D Model.

    PubMed

    Nguyen-Thi, Lam-Huyen; Nguyen, Sinh Truong; Tran, Thao Phuong; Phan-Lu, Chinh-Nhan; The Van, Trung; Van Pham, Phuc

    2018-04-24

    Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world. A great deal of effort has been made to discover new agents for cancer treatment. Xao tam phan (Paramignya trimera) is a traditional medicine of Vietnam used in cancer treatment for a long time, yet there is not much scientific evidence proving its anticancer potency. The study aimed to evaluate the toxicity of Paramignya trimera extract (PTE) on multicellular tumor spheres (MCTS) of MCF-7 cells using hanging drop technique. Firstly, MCF-7 cells were seeded on hanging drop plates, spheroid size was tracked, and growth curve was measured by MTT assay and AlamarBlue ® assay. The necrotic core of MCTS was evaluated by propidium iodide (PI) staining. Toxicity of doxorubicin (DOX) and tirapazamine (TPZ) was then tested on 3D model compared to 2D culture condition. The results showed that the IC50 of DOX on 3D MCF-7 cells was nearly 50 times greater than monolayer MCF-7 cells. In contrast, TPZ (an agent which is specifically toxic under hypoxic conditions) had significantly lower IC50 in 3D condition than in 2D. The toxicity tests for PTE showed that PTE strongly inhibited MCF-7 cells in both 2D and 3D conditions. Interestingly, the IC50 of PTE in 3D model was remarkably lower than in 2D (IC50 value was 168.9 ± 11.65 μg/ml compared to 260.8 ± 16.54 μg/ml, respectively). The invasion assay showed that PTE completely inhibited invasion of MCF-7 cells at 250 μg/mL concentration. Also, flow cytometry results indicated that PTE effectively induced apoptosis in MCF-7 spheroids in 3D condition at 250 μg/mL concentration. The results from this study emphasize the promise of PTE in cancer therapy.

  20. Anti-Proliferative Effect and Phytochemical Analysis of Cymbopogon citratus Extract

    PubMed Central

    Halabi, Mohammed F.; Sheikh, Bassem Y.

    2014-01-01

    The antiproliferative and antioxidant potential of Cymbopogon citratus (Lemon grass) extracts were investigated. The extracts were isolated by solvent maceration method and thereafter subjected to antiproliferative activity test on five different cancer cells: human colon carcinoma (HCT-116), breast carcinoma (MCF-7 and MDA-MB 231), ovarian carcinoma (SKOV-3 and COAV), and a normal liver cell line (WRL 68). The cell viability was determined using MTT assay. The DPPH radical scavenging assay revealed a concentration dependent trend. A maximum percentage inhibition of 45% and an IC50 of 278 μg/mL were observed when aqueous extract was evaluated. In contrast, 48.3% and IC50 of 258.9 μg/mL were observed when 50% ethanolic extract was evaluated. Both extracts at concentration of 50 to 800 μg/mL showed appreciative metal chelating activity with IC50 value of 172.2 ± 31 μg/mL to 456.5 ± 30 μg/mL. Depending on extraction solvent content, extract obtained from 50% ethanolic solvent proved to be more potent on breast cancer MCF-7 cell line (IC50 = 68 μg/mL). On the other hand, 90% ethanolic extract showed a moderate potency on the ovarian cancer (COAV) and MCF-7 cells having an IC50 of 104.6 μg/mL each. These results suggested antiproliferative efficacy of C. citratus ethanolic extract against human cancer cell lines. PMID:24791006

  1. Induction of Mitochondria Mediated Apoptosis in Human Breast Cancer Cells (T-47D) by Annona reticulata L. Leaves Methanolic Extracts.

    PubMed

    Roham, Pratiksha H; Kharat, Kiran R; Mungde, Priyanka; Jadhav, Mahadev A; Makhija, Surinder J

    2016-01-01

    Annona reticulata Linn. (Common name: Bullock's-heart) (Annonaceae family) is a semi-evergreen and small deciduous tree. The extracts of various parts of Annona reticulata L. have been reported as cytotoxic to many cancer cells. Annona reticulata L. leaves' methanolic extract (ARME) was prepared and used against the breast cancer cells. The breast cancer cells (T-47D) viability and IC50 were evaluated by Vybrant® MTT Cell Proliferation Assay Kit. Detection of phosphatidylserine on membranes of apoptotic cells was done by Attune flow cytometer. RNA transcripts were quantified in ARME treated and untreated cells. Finally, the Vybrant® FAM Poly Caspases assay kit was used for analysis of polycaspases activity in T-47D cells. The IC50 (5 ± 0.5 µg/mL) of the ARME was found against breast cancer cells (T-47D). The Paclitaxel was used as a control standard drug for the study. The downregulation of Bcl-2 and upregulation of Bax and Bak, and caspases activation suggested induction of apoptosis in T-47D cells by ARME through mitochondrial pathway. The cell cycle halted at G2/M phase in the ARME treated cells. The ARME was found to be effective against Breast cancer cells (T-47D).

  2. β-D-glucan inhibits endocrine-resistant breast cancer cell proliferation and alters gene expression

    PubMed Central

    JAFAAR, ZAINAB M.T.; LITCHFIELD, LACEY M.; IVANOVA, MARGARITA M.; RADDE, BRANDIE N.; AL-RAYYAN, NUMAN; KLINGE, CAROLYN M.

    2014-01-01

    Endocrine therapies have been successfully used for breast cancer patients with estrogen receptor α (ERα) positive tumors, but ∼40% of patients relapse due to endocrine resistance. β-glucans are components of plant cell walls that have immunomodulatory and anticancer activity. The objective of this study was to examine the activity of β-D-glucan, purified from barley, in endocrine-sensitive MCF-7 versus endocrine-resistant LCC9 and LY2 breast cancer cells. β-D-glucan dissolved in DMSO but not water inhibited MCF-7 cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner as measured by BrdU incorporation with an IC50 of ∼164±12 μg/ml. β-D-glucan dissolved in DMSO inhibited tamoxifen/endocrine-resistant LCC9 and LY2 cell proliferation with IC50 values of 4.6±0.3 and 24.2±1.4 μg/ml, respectively. MCF-10A normal breast epithelial cells showed a higher IC50 ∼464 μg/ml and the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 triple negative breast cancer cells was not inhibited by β-D-glucan. Concentration-dependent increases in the BAX/BCL2 ratio and cell death with β-D-glucan were observed in MCF-7 and LCC9 cells. PCR array analysis revealed changes in gene expression in response to 24-h treatment with 10 or 50 μg/ml β-D-glucan that were different between MCF-7 and LCC9 cells as well as differences in basal gene expression between the two cell lines. Select results were confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR demonstrating that β-D-glucan increased RASSF1 expression in MCF-7 cells and IGFBP3, CTNNB1 and ERβ transcript expression in LCC9 cells. Our data indicate that β-D-glucan regulates breast cancer-relevant gene expression and may be useful for inhibiting endocrine-resistant breast cancer cell proliferation. PMID:24534923

  3. Different apoptotic effects of [Pt(O,O′-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] and cisplatin on normal and cancerous human epithelial breast cells in primary culture

    PubMed Central

    Vetrugno, Carla; Muscella, Antonella; Fanizzi, Francesco Paolo; Cossa, Luca Giulio; Migoni, Danilo; De Pascali, Sandra Angelica; Marsigliante, Santo

    2014-01-01

    Background and Purpose The aim of this study was to determine whether [platinum (Pt)(O,O′-acetylacetonate (acac))(γ-acac)(dimethylsulphide (DMS))] is differentially cytotoxic in normal and cancer cells, and to measure comparative levels of cytotoxicity compared with cisplatin in the same cells. Experimental Approach We performed experiments on cancerous and normal epithelial breast cells in primary culture obtained from the same patients. The apoptotic effects [Pt(O,O′-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] and cisplatin in cancerous and normal breast cells were compared. Key Results Cancer cells were more sensitive to [Pt(O,O′-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] (IC50 = 5.22 ± 1.2 μmol·L−1) than normal cells (IC50 = 116.9 ± 8.8 μmol·L−1). However, the difference was less strong when cisplatin was used (IC50 = 96.0 ± 6.9 and 61.9 ± 6.1 μmol·L−1 for cancer and normal cells respectively). Both compounds caused reactive oxygen species (ROS) production with different mechanisms: [Pt(O,O′-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] quickly activated NAD(P)H oxidase while cisplatin caused a slower formation of mitochondrial ROS. Cisplatin and [Pt(O,O′-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] caused activation of caspases, proteolysis of PARP and modulation of Bcl-2, Bax and Bid. [Pt(O,O′-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] also caused leakage of cytochrome c from the mitochondria. Overall, these processes proceeded more quickly in cells treated with [Pt(O,O′-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] compared with cisplatin. [Pt(O,O′-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] effects were faster and quantitatively greater in cancer than in normal cells. [Pt(O,O′-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] caused a fast decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential, especially in cancer cells. Conclusions and Implications [Pt(O,O′-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] was specific to breast cancer cells in primary culture, and this observation makes this compound potentially more interesting than cisplatin. PMID:24990093

  4. In vitro and in vivo investigations on the antitumour activity of Chelidonium majus.

    PubMed

    Capistrano I, Rica; Wouters, An; Lardon, Filip; Gravekamp, Claudia; Apers, Sandra; Pieters, Luc

    2015-12-15

    Chelidonium majus L. (Papaveraceae) (greater celandine) is a medicinal herb that is widely spread in Europe. Antitumoural activity has been reported for C. majus extracts. To investigate the antitumour activity of a C. majus extract in vitro and in vivo. Cytotoxic effects of C. majus extracts were evaluated on human cancer cell lines, i.e. PANC-1 (pancreas cancer), HT-29 (colon cancer), MDA-MB-231 (breast cancer), PC-EM005 and PC-EM002 (primary endometrium cancer cells), and PANC02 (murine pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells). A preliminary in vivo study was performed to evaluate the effect of a defatted C. majus extract and Ukrain(TM) in a highly metastatic murine pancreatic model. Chelidonium majus L. herb containing 1.26% (dry weight) of total alkaloids expressed as chelidonine was used to prepare an 80% ethanolic extract (CM2). This crude extract was then defatted with n-hexane, resulting in a defatted C. majus extract (CM2B). Cytotoxic effects of the two extracts (CM2 and CM2B) were evaluated on human and murine cell lines in vitro. CM2B and Ukrain(TM) were evaluated in a highly metastatic murine pancreatic model. Four main benzylisoquinoline alkaloids were identified in CM2B, i.e. chelidonine, sanguinarine, chelerythrine and protopine, using HPLC-UV. CM2 showed a high cytotoxic activity against PANC-1 (IC50, 20.7 µg/ml) and HT-29 (IC50, 20.6 µg/ml), and a moderate cytotoxic activity against MDA-MB-231 (IC50, 73.9 µg/ml). CM2 as well as CM2B showed a moderate to high cytotoxic activity against the PANC02 cell line (IC50, 34.4 and 36.0 µg/ml). Low to almost no cytotoxic effect was observed on primary endometrium cancer cells PC-EM005, PC-EM002 and on normal fibroblast cells 3T3, when treated with CM2B. Significantly less metastases were counted in mice treated with 1.2 mg/kg CM2B, but not with 3.6 mg/kg Ukrain(TM), compared to the control group. The extract, however, did not affect the weight of the primary tumours. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  5. miR-659-3p is involved in the regulation of the chemotherapy response of colorectal cancer via modulating the expression of SPHK1

    PubMed Central

    Li, Shuyuan; Fang, Ying; Qin, Hai; Fu, Wenzheng; Zhang, Xipeng

    2016-01-01

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of most prevalent malignant diseases worldwide. Metastasis and chemo-resistance are the two prominent death-related factors of CRCs. Thus, it is urgent to understand the mechanism responsible for the chemo-resistant properties of CRC and develop new therapeutic methods. Here, we found that the expression of miR-659-3p was significantly reduced in cisplatin (CDDP)-resistant HT29 and LOVO colorectal cancer cells and in CDDP-resistant clinical colorectal cancer samples compared with respective CDDP-sensitive counterparts. Sphingosine kinase 1 (SPHK1) is a direct target of miR-659-3p in colorectal cancer cells, and it is negatively regulated by miR-659-3p. We found that anti-miR-659-3p could increase the IC50 of CDDP in parental HT29 and LOVO colorectal cancer cells; additionally, miR-659-3p mimics decreased the IC50 of CDDP in HT29/CDDP and LOVO/CDDP colorectal cancer cells. Furthermore, we showed that the miR-659-3p/SPHK1 pathway was involved in the regulation of chemotherapy responses of colorectal cancer cells in vivo. In all, our findings suggest a new mechanism involved in the regulation of the chemotherapy response of CRC and might provide new targets for CRC prevention and treatment. PMID:27725903

  6. Targeting SRC Family Kinases in HSP90 in Lung Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-10-01

    shock protein ( HSP ) 90 are both associated with cancer progression, invasion, tumor angiogenesis and drug-resistance, and both are targets of...vitro, with an IC50 of 10 nM, and reducing the viability by 70 % at 30-50 nM. 2) Dasatinib was less effective in these cells, with an IC50 of 100 nM...3) Ganetespib treatment reduced the rate of growth of tumors in this model. Although the average degree of reduction was marked ( 70 -80% less in

  7. Novel 1, 3-N, O-Spiroheterocyclic compounds inhibit heparanase activity and enhance nedaplatin-induced cytotoxicity in cervical cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Song, Yanan; Hu, Bin; Qu, Hongjie; Wang, Lu; Zhang, Yunxiao; Tao, Jinchao; Cui, Jinquan

    2016-06-14

    Heparanase (HPA) is an enzyme that plays an important role in cancer metastasis and angiogenesis and is a potential target for molecular treatment of tumors. We previously found that abnormally high HPA expression in cervical cancer tissues is associated with poor survival and increased lymph node metastasis. The present study was conducted to assess the utility of inhibiting HPA enzyme activity in cervical cancer treatment. Two series of 13 novel HPA inhibitors were synthesized and optimized. All tested inhibitors reduced HPA enzyme activity (IC50 values ranged from 4.47 μM to 47.19 μM) and inhibited the growth of HeLa cells (IC50 values ranged from 48.16 μM to 96.64 μM). The No. 16 inhibitor inhibited the migration and growth of HeLa and Siha cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and increased cell apoptosis and cell cycle G0/G1 and G2/M phase arrest, while decreasing the S phase cell population. More importantly, No. 16 sensitized cervical cancer cells to low concentrations of nedaplatin, decreased HPA, c-Myc and h-TERT levels, and increased p53 levels in HeLa and Siha cells. These results suggest that this HPA inhibitor reduced proliferation and HPA expression in cervical cancer cells by restoring p53 activity and downregulating h-TERT and c-Myc expression.

  8. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) Inducible DNA Cross-Linking Agents and Their Effect on Cancer Cells and Normal Lymphocytes

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Reducing host toxicity is one of the main challenges of cancer chemotherapy. Many tumor cells contain high levels of ROS that make them distinctively different from normal cells. We report a series of ROS-activated aromatic nitrogen mustards that selectively kill chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) over normal lymphocytes. These agents showed powerful DNA cross-linking abilities when coupled with H2O2, one of the most common ROS in cancer cells, whereas little DNA cross-linking was detected without H2O2. Consistent with chemistry observation, in vitro cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that these agents induced 40–80% apoptosis in primary leukemic lymphocytes isolated from CLL patients but less than 25% cell death to normal lymphocytes from healthy donors. The IC50 for the most potent compound (2) was ∼5 μM in CLL cells, while the IC50 was not achieved in normal lymphocytes. Collectively, these data provide utility and selectivity of these agents that will inspire further and effective applications. PMID:24801734

  9. Eugenia jambolana Lam. Berry Extract Inhibits Growth and Induces Apoptosis of Human Breast Cancer but not Non-Tumorigenic Breast Cells

    PubMed Central

    Li, Liya; Adams, Lynn S.; Chen, Shiuan; Killian, Caroline; Ahmed, Aftab; Seeram, Navindra P.

    2009-01-01

    The ripe purple berries of the native Indian plant, Eugenia jambolana Lam., known as Jamun, are popularly consumed and available in the United States in Florida and Hawaii. Despite the growing body of data on the chemopreventive potential of edible berry extracts, there is paucity of such data for Jamun fruit. Therefore our laboratory initiated the current study with the following objectives:1) to prepare a standardized Jamun fruit extract (JFE) for biological studies and, 2) to investigate the anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of JFE in estrogen dependent/aromatase positive (MCF-7aro), and estrogen independent (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cells, and in a normal/non-tumorigenic (MCF-10A) breast cell line. JFE was standardized to anthocyanin content using the pH differential method, and individual anthocyanins were identified by high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods. JFE contained 3.5% anthocyanins (as cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalents) which occur as diglucosides of five anthocyanidins/aglycons: delphinidin, cyanidin, petunidin, peonidin and malvidin. In the proliferation assay, JFE was most effective against MCF-7aro (IC50=27 µg/mL), followed by MDA-MB-231 (IC50=40 µg/mL) breast cancer cells. Importantly, JFE exhibited only mild antiproliferative effects against the normal MCF-10A (IC50>100 µg/mL) breast cells. Similarly, JFE (at 200 µg/mL) exhibited pro-apoptotic effects against the MCF-7aro (p≤0.05) and the MDA-MB-231 (p≤0.01) breast cancer cells, but not towards the normal MCF-10A breast cells. These studies suggest that JFE may have potential beneficial effects against breast cancer. PMID:19166352

  10. Antiproliferative activity of cardenolide glycosides from Asclepias subulata.

    PubMed

    Rascón-Valenzuela, L; Velázquez, C; Garibay-Escobar, A; Medina-Juárez, L A; Vilegas, W; Robles-Zepeda, R E

    2015-08-02

    Asclepias subulata Decne. is a shrub occurring in Sonora-Arizona desert (Mexico-USA). The ethnic groups, Seris and Pimas, use this plant for the treatment of sore eyes, gastrointestinal disorders and cancer. To isolate the compounds responsible for antiproliferative activity of the methanol extract of A. subulata. A bioguided fractionation of methanol extract of A. subulata was performed using MTT assay to measure the antiproliferative activity of different compounds on three human cancer cell lines (A549, LS 180 and PC-3), one murine cancer cell line (RAW 264.7) and one human normal cell line (ARPE-19). The methanol extract was partitioned with hexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol. The active fractions, ethanol and residual, were fractioned by silica-column chromatography and active sub-fractions were separated using HPLC. The chemical structures of isolated compounds were elucidated with different chemical and spectroscopic methods. A new cardenolide glycoside, 12, 16-dihydroxycalotropin, and three known, calotropin, corotoxigenin 3-O-glucopyranoside and desglucouzarin, were isolated of active sub-fractions. All isolated compounds showed a strong antiproliferative activity in human cancer cells. Calotropin was the more active with IC50 values of 0.0013, 0.06 and 0.41 µM on A549, LS 180 and PC-3 cell lines, respectively; while 12, 16-dihydroxycalotropin reached values of 2.48, 5.62 and 11.70 µM, on the same cells; corotoxigenin 3-O-glucopyranoside had IC50 of 2.64, 3.15 and 6.62 µM and desglucouzarin showed values of 0.90, 6.57 and 6.62, µM. Doxorubicin, positive control, showed IC50 values of 1.78, 6.99 and 3.18 µM, respectively. The isolated compounds had a weak effect on murine cancer cells and human normal cells, exhibiting selectivity to human cancer cells. In this study, we found that 12, 16-dihydroxicalotropin, calotropin, corotoxigenin 3-O-glucopyranoside and desglucouzarin are responsible of antiproliferative properties of A. subulata, and that these compounds are highly selective to human cancer cells. Further studies are needed in order to establish the action mechanisms of the isolated compounds. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Acetonic Extract of Buxus sempervirens Induces Cell Cycle Arrest, Apoptosis and Autophagy in Breast Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Ait-Mohamed, Ouardia; Battisti, Valentine; Joliot, Véronique; Fritsch, Lauriane; Pontis, Julien; Medjkane, Souhila; Redeuilh, Catherine; Lamouri, Aazdine; Fahy, Christine; Rholam, Mohamed; Atmani, Djebbar; Ait-Si-Ali, Slimane

    2011-01-01

    Plants are an invaluable source of potential new anti-cancer drugs. Here, we investigated the cytotoxic activity of the acetonic extract of Buxus sempervirens on five breast cancer cell lines, MCF7, MCF10CA1a and T47D, three aggressive triple positive breast cancer cell lines, and BT-20 and MDA-MB-435, which are triple negative breast cancer cell lines. As a control, MCF10A, a spontaneously immortalized but non-tumoral cell line has been used. The acetonic extract of Buxus sempervirens showed cytotoxic activity towards all the five studied breast cancer cell lines with an IC50 ranging from 7.74 µg/ml to 12.5 µg/ml. Most importantly, the plant extract was less toxic towards MCF10A with an IC50 of 19.24 µg/ml. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis showed that the plant extract induced cell death and cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase in MCF7, T47D, MCF10CA1a and BT-20 cell lines, concomitant to cyclin D1 downregulation. Application of MCF7 and MCF10CA1a respective IC50 did not show such effects on the control cell line MCF10A. Propidium iodide/Annexin V double staining revealed a pre-apoptotic cell population with extract-treated MCF10CA1a, T47D and BT-20 cells. Transmission electron microscopy analyses indicated the occurrence of autophagy in MCF7 and MCF10CA1a cell lines. Immunofluorescence and Western blot assays confirmed the processing of microtubule-associated protein LC3 in the treated cancer cells. Moreover, we have demonstrated the upregulation of Beclin-1 in these cell lines and downregulation of Survivin and p21. Also, Caspase-3 detection in treated BT-20 and T47D confirmed the occurrence of apoptosis in these cells. Our findings indicate that Buxus sempervirens extract exhibit promising anti-cancer activity by triggering both autophagic cell death and apoptosis, suggesting that this plant may contain potential anti-cancer agents for single or combinatory cancer therapy against breast cancer. PMID:21935420

  12. Synergistic combination of fluoro chalcone and doxorubicin on HeLa cervical cancer cells by inducing apoptosis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arianingrum, Retno; Arty, Indyah Sulistyo; Atun, Sri

    2017-03-01

    Doxorubicin (Dox), a primary chemotherapeutic agent used for cancer treatment is known to have various side effect included multidrug resistance (MDR) phenomenon. Combination chemotherapy is one of some approaches to reduce Dox side effect. Chalcones have been reported to reduce the proliferation of many cancer cells. The research were conducted to investigate the cytotoxic activity and apoptosis induction of a chalcone derivate which is containing fluoro substituent [1 - (4" - fluorophenyl) -3 - (4' - hydroxy - 3' - methoxyphenyl) - 2 - propene - 1 -on] (FHM) and its combination with Dox on HeLa cells line. The observation of the cytotoxic activity was conducted using MTT [3 - (4, 5 - dimethyl thiazol - 2 - y1) - 2.5 - diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay. Apoptosis induction was determined by flow cytometric. The changes of cell morphology were observed using phase contrast microscopy. The combination index (CI) was used to determine the effect of the combination. The study showed that FHM inhibited the HeLa cell growth with IC50 of 34 μM, while the IC50 of Dox was 1 μM. The combination had a higher inhibitory effect on cell growth compare to the single treatment of FHM and Dox. All of the combination doses under IC50 of FHM and Dox gave synergistic (CI: - 0.7) up to strong synergistic effect (CI: 0.l - 0.3). The synergistic effects of the combination were due to their ability to induce apoptosis in the HeLa cells. According to the result, FHM was potential to be developed as a co-chemotherapeutic agent with Dox for cervical cancer.

  13. The defensin from avocado (Persea americana var. drymifolia) PaDef induces apoptosis in the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7.

    PubMed

    Guzmán-Rodríguez, Jaquelina Julia; López-Gómez, Rodolfo; Salgado-Garciglia, Rafael; Ochoa-Zarzosa, Alejandra; López-Meza, Joel E

    2016-08-01

    Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are cytotoxic to cancer cells; however, mainly the effects of AMPs from animals have been evaluated. In this work, we assessed the cytotoxicity of PaDef defensin from avocado (Persea americana var. drymifolia) on the MCF-7 cancer cell line (a breast cancer cell line) and evaluated its mechanism of action. PaDef inhibited the viability of MCF-7 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, with an IC50=141.62μg/ml. The viability of normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells was unaffected by this AMP. Additionally, PaDef induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells in a time-dependent manner, but did not affect the membrane potential or calcium flow. In addition, PaDef IC50 induced the expression of cytochrome c, Apaf-1, and the caspase 7 and 9 genes. Likewise, this defensin induced the loss of mitochondrial Δψm and increased the phosphorylation of MAPK p38, which may lead to MCF-7 apoptosis by the intrinsic pathway. This is the first report of an avocado defensin inducing intrinsic apoptosis in cancer cells, which suggests that it could be a potential therapeutic molecule in the treatment of cancer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  14. The effect of organic anion-transporting polypeptides 1B1, 1B3 and 2B1 on the antitumor activity of flavopiridol in breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Brenner, Stefan; Riha, Juliane; Giessrigl, Benedikt; Thalhammer, Theresia; Grusch, Michael; Krupitza, Georg; Stieger, Bruno; Jäger, Walter

    2015-01-01

    The contribution of organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATPs) to the cellular uptake of flavopiridol was investigated in OATP1B1-, OATP1B3- and OATP2B1-expressing Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Uptake of flavopiridol into these cells showed typical Michaelis-Menten kinetics with much higher transport capacity for OATP1B3 compared to OATP1B1 and OATP2B1 (Vmax/Km, 33.9 vs. 8.84 and 2.41 µl/mg/min, respectively). The predominant role of OATPs was further supported by a dramatic inhibition of flavopiridol uptake in the presence of the OATP substrate rifampicin. Uptake of flavopiridol by OATPs also seems to be an important determinant in breast cancer cells. The much higher mRNA level for OATP1B1 found in wild-type compared to ZR-75-1 OATP1B1 knockdown cells correlated with higher flavopiridol initial uptake leading to 4.6-fold decreased IC50 values in the cytotoxicity assay (IC50, 1.45 vs. 6.64 µM). Cell cycle profile also showed a clear incidence for a stronger cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase for ZR-75-1 wild-type cells compared to OATP1B1 knockdown cells, further indicating an active uptake via OATP1B1. In conclusion, our results revealed OATP1B1, OATP1B3 and OATP2B1 as uptake transporters for flavopiridol in cancer cells, which may also apply in patients during cancer therapy.

  15. The role of Her2-Nrf2 axis in induction of oxaliplatin resistance in colon cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Pirpour Tazehkand, Abbas; Akbarzadeh, Maryam; Velaie, Kobra; Sadeghi, Mohammad Reza; Samadi, Nasser

    2018-04-20

    Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) plays a pivotal role in promoting chemoresistance by regulation of antioxidants and detoxification enzymes. Her2 is a member of tyrosine kinase receptor family with a key function in resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapeutics. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible cross talk between Nrf2 and Her2 mediated signaling pathways in development of oxaliplatin resistance in colon cancer cells. We first generated oxaliplatin-resistant LS174T and SW480 colon cancer cells with different Her2 expression levels by employing IC50 concentrations followed by a resting period. We evaluated the viability and apoptosis of the cells by MTT and flow cytometry assays, respectively. Nrf2 and Her2 gene expression levels were examined by qRT-PCR. The morphology analysis and combination index calculation were performed using the ImagJ and CompuSyn softwares, respectively. Development of resistant cells revealed a marked increase in half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value from 3.95 ± 0.92 μM to 29.27 ± 3.13 μM in SW480 cells and 377 ± 46 nM to 9.59 ± 0.76 μM in LS174T cells with a significant change in morphology of the cells from elongated to small round shape (p < 0.05). Her2 expression level was increased in both types of resistant cells, but the Nrf2 expression was increased in LS174T resistant (LS174T/Res) cells and decreased in SW480/Res cells which were consistent with the level of resistance in these cells (25 fold increase in IC50 value in LS174T/Res cells versus 7 fold increase in this value in SW480/Res cells). Inhibition of either Nrf2 or Her2 alone and in combination caused a significant increase in oxaliplatin-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis with maximum effects in SW480/Res cells with low Her2 and Nrf2 expression levels. Altogether, our results suggest that inhibition of Nrf2 signaling in colon cancer patients with Her2 overexpression can be considered as an important strategy to overcome oxaliplatin resistance. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  16. Solid-phase total synthesis of cherimolacyclopeptide E and discovery of more potent analogues by alanine screening.

    PubMed

    Shaheen, Farzana; Rizvi, Tania S; Musharraf, Syed G; Ganesan, A; Xiao, Kai; Townsend, Jared B; Lam, Kit S; Choudhary, M Iqbal

    2012-11-26

    Cherimolacyclopeptide E (1) is a cyclic hexapeptide obtained from Annona cherimola, reported to be cytotoxic against the KB (human nasopharyngeal carcinoma) cell line. The solid-phase total syntheses of this cyclic peptide and its analogues were accomplished by employing FMOC/tert-butyl-protected amino acids and the Kenner sulfonamide safety-catch linker. The synthetic peptide 1 was found to be weakly cytotoxic against four cell lines (MOLT-4, Jurkat T lymphoma, MDA-MB-231, and KB). Analogues 3 and 7, where glycine at positions 2 and 6 of the parent compound was replaced by Ala, exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity against KB (3, IC50 6.3 μM; 7, IC50 7.8 μM) and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells (3, IC50 10.2 μM; 7, IC50 7.7 μM), thereby suggesting possible selective targeting of these cancer cells by these peptides. The spectral data of synthetic peptide 1 was found to be similar to that reported for the natural product. However, a striking difference in biological activity was noted, which warrants the re-evaluation of the original natural product for purity and the existence of conformational differences.

  17. Synthesis, characterization, X-ray crystal structures of heterocyclic Schiff base compounds and in vitro cholinesterase inhibition and anticancer activity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arafath, Md. Azharul; Adam, Farook; Al-Suede, Fouad Saleih R.; Razali, Mohd R.; Ahamed, Mohamed B. Khadeer; Abdul Majid, Amin Malik Shah; Hassan, Mohd Zaheen; Osman, Hasnah; Abubakar, Saifullah

    2017-12-01

    Four heterocyclic embedded Schiff base derivatives (1-4) were synthesized and characterized by melting point, elemental analysis, FTIR, 1H, 13C NMR, UV-Visible spectral data. The structures of compounds 1, 2 and 4 were successfully established through single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. In vitro cholinesterase inhibition assays showed that the cyclized derivative 1 displayed higher BuChE enzyme inhibitory activity with IC50 value of 1.45 ± 0.09 μM. The anti-proliferative efficacies of the compounds were also evaluated using human colorectal HCT 116 and breast MCF-7 adenocarcinoma cell lines. In addition, a human normal endothelial cell line (Ea.hy926) was also tested to assess the safety and selectivity of the compounds towards normal and cancer cells, respectively. Among the compounds tested, compound 2 displayed potent cytotoxic effect (IC50 = 34 μM) against HCT 116 cells with highest selectivity index of 3.1 with respect to the normal endothelial cells. Whereas, compound 4 exhibited significant anti-proliferative effect (IC50 = 21.1 μM) against MCF-7 cells with highest selectivity index of 3.3 with respect to the normal endothelial cells. The docking result of these compounds against hAChE showed potent activities with different binding modes. These compounds could be a promising pharmacological agent to treat cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

  18. Time lapse microscopy observation of cellular structural changes and image analysis of drug treated cancer cells to characterize the cellular heterogeneity.

    PubMed

    Vaiyapuri, Periasamy S; Ali, Alshatwi A; Mohammad, Akbarsha A; Kandhavelu, Jeyalakshmi; Kandhavelu, Meenakshisundaram

    2015-01-01

    The effect of Calotropis gigantea latex (CGLX) on human mammary carcinoma cells is not well established. We present the results of this drug activity at total population and single cell level. CGLX inhibited the growth of MCF7 cancer cells at lower IC50 concentration (17 µL/mL). Microscopy of IC50 drug treated cells at 24 hr confirming the appearance of morphological characteristics of apoptotic and necrotic cells, associated with 70% of DNA damage. FACS analysis confirmed that, 10 and 20% of the disruption of cellular mitochondrial nature by at 24 and 48 h, respectively. Microscopic image analysis of total population level proved that MMP changes were statistically significant with P values. The cell to cell variation was confirmed by functional heterogeneity analysis which proves that CGLX was able to induce the apoptosis without the contribution of mitochondria. We conclude that CGLX inhibits cell proliferation, survival, and heterogeneity of pathways in human mammary carcinoma cells. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Antiproliferative and Anti-inflammatory Withanolides from Physalis angulata.

    PubMed

    Sun, Cheng-Peng; Qiu, Chong-Yue; Yuan, Ting; Nie, Xiu-Fang; Sun, Hong-Xin; Zhang, Qian; Li, Hui-Xiang; Ding, Li-Qin; Zhao, Feng; Chen, Li-Xia; Qiu, Feng

    2016-06-24

    Sixteen new withanolides, physangulatins A-N (1-14) and withaphysalins Y and Z (15 and 16), as well as 12 known analogues, were isolated from the stems and leaves of Physalis angulata L. Their structures were established using extensive spectroscopic data analyses. The absolute configurations of 1 and 9 were assigned via X-ray crystallography. The isolated compounds were tested for their antiproliferative effects against human prostate cancer cells (C4-2B and 22Rvl), human renal carcinoma cells (786-O, A-498, and ACHN), and human melanoma cells (A375-S2), as well as inhibitory effects on NO production induced by LPS in macrophages. Compounds 9, 17, 20, 21, 25, and 27 showed antiproliferative effects against all tested cancer cells, with IC50 values of 0.18-7.43 μM. Compounds 3-5, 9-11, 17, 20-22, 24, 25, and 27 displayed inhibitory effects against NO production, with IC50 values of 1.36-11.59 μM.

  20. PRE-CLINICAL EVALUATION OF EXTRACTS AND ESSENTIAL OILS FROM BETEL-LIKE SCENT PIPER SPECIES IDENTIFIED POTENTIAL CANCER TREATMENT

    PubMed Central

    Sanubol, Arisa; Chaveerach, Arunrat; Tanee, Tawatchai; Sudmoon, Runglawan

    2017-01-01

    Background: Nine Piper species with betel-like scents are sources of industrial and medicinal aromatic chemicals, but there is lack of information on cytotoxicity and genotoxicity for human safety, including how these plants impact human cervical cancer cell line. Methods: Plant leaves were extracted with hexane and hydro-distilled for essential oils. The extracts and oils were pre-clinically studied based on cyto - and genotoxicity using microculture tetrazolium (MTT) and comet assays. Results: The crude extracts showed an IC50 in leukocytes and HeLa cells of 58.59-97.31 mg/ml and 34.91-101.79 mg/ml, the LD50 is higher than 5000 mg/kg. With lower values than the crude extracts, the essential oils showed an IC50 in leukocytes and HeLa cells of 0.023-0.059 μg/ml and 0.025-0.043 μg/ml the LD50 is less than 50 mg/kg. IC50 values showed that the essential oils were highly toxic than the crude extracts. At the level of human genetic materials, the crude extracts of two species, including P. betloides and P. crocatum, showed a significant toxicity (p < 0.05) in leukocytes. The other samples were non-toxic. The crude extracts of all samples showed significant genotoxicity in HeLa cells. The essential oils of all studied Piper species showed insignificant toxicity in leukocytes. For HeLa cells, the eight-studied species showed significant toxicity in HeLa cells, whereas only P. submultinerve showed insignificant toxicity. Conclusion: The crude extracts and essential oils should be tested as putative cervical cancer treatments due to less toxicity in human normal cells. PMID:28480386

  1. Betulinyl Sulfamates as Anticancer Agents and Radiosensitizers in Human Breast Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Bache, Matthias; Münch, Christin; Güttler, Antje; Wichmann, Henri; Theuerkorn, Katharina; Emmerich, Daniel; Paschke, Reinhard; Vordermark, Dirk

    2015-01-01

    Betulinic acid (BA), a natural compound of birch bark, is cytotoxic for many tumors. Recently, a betulinyl sulfamate was described that inhibits carbonic anhydrases (CA), such as CAIX, an attractive target for tumor-selective therapy strategies in hypoxic cancer cells. Data on combined CAIX inhibition with radiotherapy are rare. In the human breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB231 and MCF7, the effects of BA and betulinyl sulfamates on cellular and radiobiological behavior under normoxia and hypoxia were evaluated. The two most effective betulinyl sulfamates CAI 1 and CAI 3 demonstrated a 1.8–2.8-fold higher cytotoxicity than BA under normoxia in breast cancer cells, with IC50 values between 11.1 and 18.1 µM. BA exhibits its strongest cytotoxicity with IC50 values of 8.2 and 16.4 µM under hypoxia. All three substances show a dose-dependent increase in apoptosis, inhibition of migration, and inhibition of hypoxia-induced gene expression. In combination with irradiation, betulinyl sulfamates act as radiosensitizers, with DMF10 values of 1.47 (CAI 1) and 1.75 (CAI 3) under hypoxia in MDA-MB231 cells. BA showed additive effects in combination with irradiation. Taken together; our results suggest that BA and betulinyl sulfamates seem to be attractive substances to combine with radiotherapy; particularly for hypoxic breast cancer. PMID:26540049

  2. Synthesis and biological evaluation of some novel triazole hybrids of curcumin mimics and their selective anticancer activity against breast and prostate cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Mandalapu, Dhanaraju; Saini, Karan S; Gupta, Sonal; Sharma, Vikas; Yaseen Malik, Mohd; Chaturvedi, Swati; Bala, Veenu; Hamidullah; Thakur, Subhadra; Maikhuri, Jagdamba P; Wahajuddin, Muhammad; Konwar, Rituraj; Gupta, Gopal; Sharma, Vishnu Lal

    2016-09-01

    The anti-cancer property of curcumin, an active component of turmeric, is limited due to its poor solubility, stability and bioavailability. To enhance its efficacy, we designed a novel series of twenty-four monocarbonyl curcumin analogue-1,2,3-triazole conjugates and evaluated their anti-cancer activity towards endocrine related cancers. The new compounds (17-40) were synthesized through CuAAC click reaction and SAR analysis carried out. Out of these all, compound 17 showed most significant anti-cancer activity against prostate cancer cells with IC50 values of 8.8μM and 9.5μM in PC-3 and DU-145 cells, respectively. Another compound 26 showed significant anti-cancer activity against breast cancer cells with IC50 of 6μM, 10μM and 6.4μM in MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 cells, respectively while maintaining low toxicity towards non-cancer originated cell line, HEK-293. Compounds 17 and 26 arrested cell cycle and induced mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in cancer cells. Further, both of these compounds significantly down-regulated cell proliferation marker (PCNA), inhibited activation of cell survival protein (Akt phosphorylation), upregulated pro-apoptotic protein (Bax) and down-regulated anti-apoptotic protein (Bcl-2) in their respective cell lines. In addition, in vitro stability, solubility and plasma binding studies of the compounds 17 and 26 showed them to be metabolically stable. Thus, this study identified two new curcumin monocarbonyl-1,2,3-triazole conjugate compounds with more potent activity than curcumin against breast and prostate cancers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Betulinyl Sulfamates as Anticancer Agents and Radiosensitizers in Human Breast Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Bache, Matthias; Münch, Christin; Güttler, Antje; Wichmann, Henri; Theuerkorn, Katharina; Emmerich, Daniel; Paschke, Reinhard; Vordermark, Dirk

    2015-11-03

    Betulinic acid (BA), a natural compound of birch bark, is cytotoxic for many tumors. Recently, a betulinyl sulfamate was described that inhibits carbonic anhydrases (CA), such as CAIX, an attractive target for tumor-selective therapy strategies in hypoxic cancer cells. Data on combined CAIX inhibition with radiotherapy are rare. In the human breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB231 and MCF7, the effects of BA and betulinyl sulfamates on cellular and radiobiological behavior under normoxia and hypoxia were evaluated. The two most effective betulinyl sulfamates CAI 1 and CAI 3 demonstrated a 1.8-2.8-fold higher cytotoxicity than BA under normoxia in breast cancer cells, with IC50 values between 11.1 and 18.1 µM. BA exhibits its strongest cytotoxicity with IC50 values of 8.2 and 16.4 µM under hypoxia. All three substances show a dose-dependent increase in apoptosis, inhibition of migration, and inhibition of hypoxia-induced gene expression. In combination with irradiation, betulinyl sulfamates act as radiosensitizers, with DMF10 values of 1.47 (CAI 1) and 1.75 (CAI 3) under hypoxia in MDA-MB231 cells. BA showed additive effects in combination with irradiation. Taken together; our results suggest that BA and betulinyl sulfamates seem to be attractive substances to combine with radiotherapy; particularly for hypoxic breast cancer.

  4. Endophytic fungi associated with Sudanese medicinal plants show cytotoxic and antibiotic potential.

    PubMed

    Khiralla, Afra; Mohamed, Ietidal E; Tzanova, Tzvetomira; Schohn, Hervé; Slezack-Deschaumes, Sophie; Hehn, Alain; André, Philippe; Carre, Gaëlle; Spina, Rosella; Lobstein, Annelise; Yagi, Sakina; Laurain-Mattar, Dominique

    2016-06-01

    In this study, we isolated 15 endophytic fungi from five Sudanese medicinal plants. Each fungal endophytic strain was identified by sequencing of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of rDNA. Ethyl acetate extracts were prepared from each endophyte cultivated in vitro and tested for their respective antibacterial activities and antiproliferative activities against human cancer cells. Antibacterial screening was carried out against two bacterial strains: Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, by the broth dilution method. Cell viability was evaluated by the MTT procedure after exposure of MCF7 breast cancer cells and HT29 or HCT116 human colon adenocarcinoma cells to each endophytic extract. Of interest, Byssochlamys spectabilis isolated from Euphorbia prostata showed cytotoxicity (IC50 = 1.51 ± 0.2 μg mL(-1)) against MCF7 cells, but had a low effect against HT29 or HCT116 cells (IC50 > 20 μg mL(-1)). Cladosporium cladosporioides 2, isolated from Vernonia amygdalina leaves, showed antiproliferative activities against MCF7 cells (IC50 = 10.5 ± 1.5 μg mL(-1)) only. On the other hand, B. spectabilis and Alternaria sp. extract had antibacterial activities against the S. aureus strain. The findings of this work revealed that endophytic fungi associated with medicinal plants from Sudan could be considered as an attractive source of new therapeutic compounds. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  5. Potent Cytotoxic Peptides from the Australian Marine Sponge Pipestela candelabra

    PubMed Central

    Tran, Trong D.; Pham, Ngoc B.; Fechner, Gregory A.; Hooper, John N. A.; Quinn, Ronald J.

    2014-01-01

    Two consecutive prefractionated fractions of the Australian marine sponge extract, Pipestela candelabra, were identified to be selectively active on the human prostate cancer cells (PC3) compared to the human neonatal foreskin fibroblast non-cancer cells (NFF). Twelve secondary metabolites were isolated in which four compounds are new small peptides. Their structures were characterized by spectroscopic and chemical analysis. These compounds inhibited selectively the growth of prostate cancer cells with IC50 values in the picomolar to sub-micromolar range. Structure-activity relationship of these compounds is discussed. PMID:24901701

  6. Cancer targeting potential of folate targeted nanocarrier under comparative influence of tretinoin and dexamethasone.

    PubMed

    Dhakad, Raghvendra Singh; Tekade, Rakesh Kumar; Jain, Narendra Kumar

    2013-08-01

    The objective of this investigation was aimed to explore the cancer targeting potential of folate conjugated dendrimer (polypropylene imine, PPI) under strategic influence of folate receptor up-regulators (all trans Retinoic acid, ATRA and Dexamethasone, DEXA). The folate conjugated dendrimer nanoconjugate (FPPI) was synthesized and characterized by FTIR, and (1)H-NMR spectroscopy. The cell line studies investigations were performed on MCF-7 cells. ATRA and DEXA caused 2.17 and 1.65 folds selective up-regulation of folate receptor respectively, when compared with untreated control, after 48 h of pretreatment. ATRA caused 50.47±2.11% more up regulation of folate receptor, than DEXA treated cell. Both up regulators showed a lag phase of 12 h in up-regulating the folate receptors. After 48 h, the IC50 values of naked docetaxel (DTX) and DTX loaded dendrimer (PPI-DTX) were found to be 678.93±11.99 nM and 663.51±15.23 nM, respectively, while DTX loaded folate-anchored dendrimer (FPPI-DTX) showed a selectively lowered IC50 value of 468.56±20.86 nM. FPPI-DTX further showed a significant reduction in IC50 value in ATRA and DEXA pretreated cells, wherein IC50 values of 184.21 nM and 290.40±14.05 nM, respectively were observed. The study also concludes ATRA to be a superior receptor up-regulator as well as promoter of folate based targeting compared to DEXA.

  7. Xylitol induces cell death in lung cancer A549 cells by autophagy.

    PubMed

    Park, Eunjoo; Park, Mi Hee; Na, Hee Sam; Chung, Jin

    2015-05-01

    Xylitol is a widely used anti-caries agent that has anti-inflammatory effects. We have evaluated the potential of xylitol in cancer treatment. It's effects on cell proliferation and cytotoxicity were measured by MTT assay and LDH assay. Cell morphology and autophagy were examined by immunostaining and immunoblotting. Xylitol inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner in these cancer cells: A549, Caki, NCI-H23, HCT-15, HL-60, K562, and SK MEL-2. The IC50 of xylitol in human gingival fibroblast cells was higher than in cancer cells, indicating that it is more specific for cancer cells. Moreover, xylitol induced autophagy in A549 cells that was inhibited by 3-methyladenine, an autophagy inhibitor. These results indicate that xylitol has potential in therapy against lung cancer by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing autophagy of A549 cells.

  8. Cellular Location and Expression of Na+, K+-ATPase α Subunits Affect the Anti-Proliferative Activity of Oleandrin

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Peiying; Cartwright, Carrie; Efuet, Ekem; Hamilton, Stanley R.; Wistuba, Ignacio Ivan; Menter, David; Addington, Crandell; Shureiqi, Imad; Newman, Robert A.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate whether intracellular distribution of Na+, K+-ATPase α3 subunit, a receptor for cardiac glycosides including oleandrin, is differentially altered in cancer versus normal cells and whether this altered distribution can be therapeutically targeted to inhibit cancer cell survival. The cellular distribution of Na+, K+-ATPase α3 isoform was investigated in paired normal and cancerous mucosa biopsy samples from patients with lung and colorectal cancers by immunohistochemical staining. The effects of oleandrin on α3 subunit intracellular distribution, cell death, proliferation, and EKR phosphorylation were examined in differentiated and undifferentiated human colon cancer CaCO-2 cells. While Na+, K+-ATPase α3 isoform was predominantly located near the cytoplasmic membrane in normal human colon and lung epithelia, the expression of this subunit in their paired cancer epithelia was shifted to a peri-nuclear position in both a qualitative and quantitative manner. Similarly, distribution of α3 isoform was also shifted from a cytoplasmic membrane location in differentiated human colon cancer CaCO-2 cells to a peri-nuclear position in undifferentiated CaCO-2 cells. Intriguingly, oleandrin exerted threefold stronger anti-proliferative activity in undifferentiated CaCO-2 cells (IC50, 8.25 nM) than in differentiated CaCO-2 cells (IC50, >25 nM). Oleandrin (10 to 20 nM) caused an autophagic cell death and altered ERK phosphorylation in undifferentiated but not in differentiated CaCO-2 cells. These data demonstrate that the intracellular location of Na+, K+-ATPase α3 isoform is altered in human cancer versus normal cells. These changes in α3 cellular location and abundance may indicate a potential target of opportunity for cancer therapy. PMID:23073998

  9. Synthesis and anticancer evaluation of 1,3,4-oxadiazoles, 1,3,4-thiadiazoles, 1,2,4-triazoles and Mannich bases.

    PubMed

    Megally Abdo, Nadia Youssef; Kamel, Mona Monir

    2015-01-01

    A series of 5-(pyridin-4-yl)-N-substituted-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-amines (3a-d), 5-(pyridin-4-yl)-N-substituted-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-amines (4a-d) and 5-(pyridin-4-yl)-4-substituted-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiones (5a-d) were obtained by the cyclization of hydrazinecarbothioamide derivatives 2a-d derived from isonicotinic acid hydrazide. Aminoalkylation of compounds 5a-d with formaldehyde and various secondary amines furnished the Mannich bases 6a-p. The structures of the newly synthesized compounds were confirmed on the basis of their spectral data and elemental analyses. All the compounds were screened for their in vitro anticancer activity against six human cancer cell lines and normal fibroblast cells. Sixteen of the tested compounds exhibited significant cytotoxicity against most cell lines. Among these derivatives, the Mannich bases 6j, 6m and 6p were found to exhibit the most potent activity. The Mannich base 6m showed more potent cytotoxic activity against gastric cancer NUGC (IC50=0.021 µM) than the standard CHS 828 (IC50=0.025 µM). Normal fibroblast cells WI38 were affected to a much lesser extent (IC50>10 µM).

  10. Rapid dissolution of ZnO nanocrystals in acidic cancer microenvironment leading to preferential apoptosis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sasidharan, Abhilash; Chandran, Parwathy; Menon, Deepthy; Raman, Sreerekha; Nair, Shantikumar; Koyakutty, Manzoor

    2011-09-01

    The microenvironment of cancer plays a very critical role in the survival, proliferation and drug resistance of solid tumors. Here, we report an interesting, acidic cancer microenvironment-mediated dissolution-induced preferential toxicity of ZnO nanocrystals (NCs) against cancer cells while leaving primary cells unaffected. Irrespective of the size-scale (5 and 200 nm) and surface chemistry differences (silica, starch or polyethylene glycol coating), ZnO NCs exhibited multiple stress mechanisms against cancer cell lines (IC50 ~150 μM) while normal human primary cells (human dermal fibroblast, lymphocytes, human umbilical vein endothelial cells) remain less affected. Flow cytometry and confocal microscopy studies revealed that ZnO NCs undergo rapid preferential dissolution in acidic (pH ~5-6) cancer microenvironment causing elevated ROS stress, mitochondrial superoxide formation, depolarization of mitochondrial membrane, and cell cycle arrest at S/G2 phase leading to apoptosis. In effect, by elucidating the unique toxicity mechanism of ZnO NCs, we show that ZnO NCs can destabilize cancer cells by utilizing its own hostile acidic microenvironment, which is otherwise critical for its survival.The microenvironment of cancer plays a very critical role in the survival, proliferation and drug resistance of solid tumors. Here, we report an interesting, acidic cancer microenvironment-mediated dissolution-induced preferential toxicity of ZnO nanocrystals (NCs) against cancer cells while leaving primary cells unaffected. Irrespective of the size-scale (5 and 200 nm) and surface chemistry differences (silica, starch or polyethylene glycol coating), ZnO NCs exhibited multiple stress mechanisms against cancer cell lines (IC50 ~150 μM) while normal human primary cells (human dermal fibroblast, lymphocytes, human umbilical vein endothelial cells) remain less affected. Flow cytometry and confocal microscopy studies revealed that ZnO NCs undergo rapid preferential dissolution in acidic (pH ~5-6) cancer microenvironment causing elevated ROS stress, mitochondrial superoxide formation, depolarization of mitochondrial membrane, and cell cycle arrest at S/G2 phase leading to apoptosis. In effect, by elucidating the unique toxicity mechanism of ZnO NCs, we show that ZnO NCs can destabilize cancer cells by utilizing its own hostile acidic microenvironment, which is otherwise critical for its survival. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: FTIR data, MTT assay and zinc ion release. See DOI: 10.1039/c1nr10272a

  11. Roles of p53 and caspases in induction of apoptosis in MCF- 7 breast cancer cells treated with a methanolic extract of Nigella sativa seeds.

    PubMed

    Alhazmi, Mohammed I; Hasan, Tarique N; Shafi, Gowhar; Al-Assaf, Abdullah H; Alfawaz, Mohammed A; Alshatwi, Ali A

    2014-01-01

    Nigella Sativa (NS) is an herb from the Ranunculaceae family that exhibits numerous medicinal properties and has been used as important constituent of many complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs). The ability of NS to kill cancer cells such as PC3, HeLa and hepatoma cells is well established. However, our understanding of the mode of death caused by NS remains nebulous. The objective of this study was to gain further insight into the mode and mechanism of death caused by NS in breast cancer MCF-7 cells. Human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) were treated with a methanolic extract of NS, and a dose- and time-dependent study was performed. The IC50 was calculated using a Cell Titer Blue® viability assay assay, and evidence for DNA fragmentation was obtained by fluorescence microscopy TUNEL assay. Gene expression was also profiled for a number of apoptosis-related genes (Caspase-3, -8, -9 and p53 genes) through qPCR. The IC50 of MCF-7 cells was 62.8 μL/mL. When MCF-7 cells were exposed to 50 μL/mL and 100 μL/mL NS for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h, microscopic examination (TUNEL assay) revealed a dose- and time-dependent increase in apoptosis. Similarly, the expression of the Caspase-3, -8, -9 and p53 genes increased significantly according to the dose and time. NS induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells through both the p53 and caspase pathways. NS could potentially represent an alternative source of medicine for breast cancer therapy.

  12. Cytotoxicity of compounds from Xylopia aethiopica towards multi-factorial drug-resistant cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Kuete, Victor; Sandjo, Louis P; Mbaveng, Armelle T; Zeino, Maen; Efferth, Thomas

    2015-12-15

    Multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer represent a major hurdle in chemotherapy. Previously, the methanol extract of the medicinal spice Xylopia aethiopica displayed considerable cytotoxicity against multidrug resistant (MDR) cancer cell lines. The present study was designed to assess the cytotoxicity of compounds, 16α-hydroxy-ent-kauran-19-oic acid (2), 3,4',5-trihydroxy-6″,6″-dimethylpyrano[2,3-g]flavone (3), isotetrandrine (5) and trans-tiliroside (6) derived from the methanol crude extract of Xylopia aethiopica against 9 drug-sensitive and -resistant cancer cell lines. The resazurin reduction assay was used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of these compounds, whilst caspase-Glo assay was used to detect caspase activation. Cell cycle, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were all analyzed via flow cytometry. Flavonoid 3 and alkaloid 5 also displayed IC50 values ranging from 2.61 µM (towards leukemia CCRF-CEM cells) to 18.60 µM (towards gliobastoma multiforme U87MG.ΔEGFR cells) and from 1.45 µM (towards HepG2 cells) to 7.28 µM (towards MDA-MB-231-pcDNA cells), respectively. IC50 values ranged from 0.20 µM (against CCRF-CEM cells) to 195.12 µM (against CEM/ADR5000 cells) for doxorubicin. Compound 3 induced apoptosis in leukemia CCRF-CEM cells mediated by the disruption of the MMP, whilst 5 induced apoptosis mediated by ROS production. Compounds 2 and 5 represent potential cytotoxic phytochemicals that deserve more investigations to develop novel antineoplastic drugs against multifactorial drug-resistant cancers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  13. Combined ginger extract & Gelam honey modulate Ras/ERK and PI3K/AKT pathway genes in colon cancer HT29 cells.

    PubMed

    Tahir, Analhuda Abdullah; Sani, Nur Fathiah Abdul; Murad, Noor Azian; Makpol, Suzana; Ngah, Wan Zurinah Wan; Yusof, Yasmin Anum Mohd

    2015-04-01

    The interconnected Ras/ERK and PI3K/AKT pathways play a central role in colorectal tumorigenesis, and they are targets for elucidating mechanisms involved in attempts to induce colon cancer cell death. Both ginger (Zingiber officinale) and honey have been shown to exhibit anti-tumor and anti-inflammation properties against many types of cancer, including colorectal cancer. However, there are currently no reports showing the combined effect of these two dietary compounds in cancer growth inhibition. The aim of this study was to evaluate the synergistic effect of crude ginger extract and Gelam honey in combination as potential cancer chemopreventive agents against the colorectal cancer cell line HT29. The cells were divided into 4 groups: the first group represents HT29 cells without treatment, the second and third groups were cells treated singly with either ginger or Gelam honey, respectively, and the last group represents cells treated with ginger and Gelam honey combined. The results of MTS assay showed that the IC50 of ginger and Gelam honey alone were 5.2 mg/ml and 80 mg/ml, respectively, whereas the IC50 of the combination treatment was 3 mg/ml of ginger plus 27 mg/ml of Gelam honey with a combination index of < 1, suggesting synergism. Cell death in response to the combined ginger and Gelam honey treatment was associated with the stimulation of early apoptosis (upregulation of caspase 9 and IκB genes) accompanied by downregulation of the KRAS, ERK, AKT, Bcl-xL, NFkB (p65) genes in a synergistic manner. In conclusion, the combination of ginger and Gelam honey may be an effective chemopreventive and therapeutic strategy for inducing the death of colon cancer cells.

  14. Synthesis, Crystal Study, and Anti-Proliferative Activity of Some 2-Benzimidazolylthioacetophenones towards Triple-Negative Breast Cancer MDA-MB-468 Cells as Apoptosis-Inducing Agents.

    PubMed

    Abdel-Aziz, Hatem A; Eldehna, Wagdy M; Ghabbour, Hazem; Al-Ansary, Ghada H; Assaf, Areej M; Al-Dhfyan, Abdullah

    2016-07-29

    On account of its poor prognosis and deficiency of therapeutic stratifications, triple negative breast cancer continues to form the causative platform of an incommensurate number of breast cancer deaths. Aiming at the development of potent anticancer agents as a continuum of our previous efforts, a novel series of 2-((benzimidazol-2-yl)thio)-1-arylethan-1-ones 5a-w was synthesized and evaluated for its anti-proliferative activity towards triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) MDA-MB-468 cells. Compound 5k was the most active analog against MDA-MB-468 (IC50 = 19.90 ± 1.37 µM), with 2.1-fold increased activity compared to 5-fluorouracil (IC50 = 41.26 ± 3.77 µM). Compound 5k was able to induce apoptosis in MDA-MB-468, as evidenced by the marked boosting in the percentage of florecsein isothiocyanate annexin V (Annexin V-FITC)-positive apoptotic cells (upper right (UR) + lower right (LR)) by 2.8-fold in comparison to control accompanied by significant increase in the proportion of cells at pre-G1 (the first gap phase) by 8.13-fold in the cell-cycle analysis. Moreover, a quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) model was established to investigate the structural requirements orchestrating the anti-proliferative activity. Finally, we established a theoretical kinetic study.

  15. Antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of two sea cucumbers, Holothuria edulis lesson and Stichopus horrens Selenka.

    PubMed

    Althunibat, O Y; Ridzwan, B H; Taher, M; Daud, J M; Jauhari Arief Ichwan, S; Qaralleh, H

    2013-03-01

    Sea cucumbers are marine invertebrates of the phylum of Echinodermata that have been used in Asian traditional medicine since ancient times. This study was conducted to investigate the antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of aqueous and organic extracts from two sea cucumber species, Holothuria edulis Lesson (Holothuriidae) and Stichopus horrens Selenka (Stichopodidae). Antioxidant activities of the extracts were evaluated by DPPH· and β-carotene bleaching assays, while MTT and trypan blue exclusion assays were used to demonstrate the cytotoxic effects of the extracts against two human cancer cell lines, non-small cell lung cancer cells (A549) and esophageal cancer cells (TE1). The results showed that both aqueous and organic extracts of H. edulis were able to scavenge DPH radical (IC50 at 2.04 mg/ml and 8.73 mg/ml, respectively). Aqueous and organic extracts of S. horrens inhibited 79.62% and 46.66% of β-carotene oxidation by linoleate free radical. On the other hand, the organic extract of S. horrens exhibited the highest cytotoxic effects against A549 and TE1 cancer cells giving IC50 at 15.5 and 4.0 μg/ml, respectively. In conclusion, the present study revealed that H. edulis and S. horrens contain promising levels of antioxidant and cytotoxic natural products that might be used for cancer prevention and treatment.

  16. Lysosomotropic Properties of Weakly Basic Anticancer Agents Promote Cancer Cell Selectivity In Vitro

    PubMed Central

    Ndolo, Rosemary A.; Luan, Yepeng; Duan, Shaofeng; Forrest, M. Laird; Krise, Jeffrey P.

    2012-01-01

    Drug distribution in cells is a fundamentally important, yet often overlooked, variable in drug efficacy. Many weakly basic anticancer agents accumulate extensively in the acidic lysosomes of normal cells through ion trapping. Lysosomal trapping reduces the activity of anticancer drugs, since anticancer drug targets are often localized in the cell cytosol or nucleus. Some cancer cells have defective acidification of lysosomes, which causes a redistribution of trapped drugs from the lysosomes to the cytosol. We have previously established that such differences in drug localization between normal and cancer cells can contribute to the apparent selectivity of weakly basic drugs to cancer cells in vitro. In this work, we tested whether this intracellular distribution-based drug selectivity could be optimized based on the acid dissociation constant (pKa) of the drug, which is one of the determinants of lysosomal sequestration capacity. We synthesized seven weakly basic structural analogs of the Hsp90 inhibitor geldanamycin (GDA) with pKa values ranging from 5 to 12. The selectivity of each analog was expressed by taking ratios of anti-proliferative IC50 values of the inhibitors in normal fibroblasts to the IC50 values in human leukemic HL-60 cells. Similar selectivity assessments were performed in a pair of cancer cell lines that differed in lysosomal pH as a result of siRNA-mediated alteration of vacuolar proton ATPase subunit expression. Optimal selectivity was observed for analogs with pKa values near 8. Similar trends were observed with commercial anticancer agents with varying weakly basic pKa values. These evaluations advance our understanding of how weakly basic properties can be optimized to achieve maximum anticancer drug selectivity towards cancer cells with defective lysosomal acidification in vitro. Additional in vivo studies are needed to examine the utility of this approach for enhancing selectivity. PMID:23145164

  17. Cytotoxic constituents of Pachyrhizus tuberosus from Peruvian amazon.

    PubMed

    Leuner, Olga; Havlik, Jaroslav; Budesinsky, Milos; Vrkoslav, Vladimir; Chu, Jessica; Bradshaw, Tracey D; Hummelova, Jana; Miksatkova, Petra; Lapcik, Oldrich; Valterova, Irena; Kokoska, Ladislav

    2013-10-01

    Investigations into the chemical constituents of the seeds of the neglected tuber crop Pachyrhizus tuberosus (Leguminosae) resulted in the isolation of seven components: five rotenoids [12a-hydroxyerosone (1), 12a-hydroxydolineone (2), erosone (3), 12a-hydroxyrotenone (4) and rotenone (6)], a phenylfuranocoumarin [pachyrrhizine (5)] and an isoflavanone [neotenone (7)]. The compounds were isolated using several chromatography techniques and characterized and verified by NMR and HPLC/MS. The MTT assay was used to examine the selective cytotoxic effects of the methanolic P. tuberosus extract and isolated compounds in two human cancer cell lines [breast (MCF-7) and colorectal (HCT-116)] and in non-transformed human fibroblasts (MRC-5); IC50 values were calculated. The methanolic P. tuberosus extract displayed respectable cytotoxic effects against HCT-116 and MCF-7 cells with IC50 values of 7.3 and 6.3 microg/mL, respectively. Of the compounds, 6 exacted greatest cytotoxicity and selectivity towards the cancer cell lines tested, yielding IC50 values of 0.3 microg/mL against both MCF-7 and HCT-116 cells, and a 6-fold reduced activity against MRC-5 fibroblasts. Compound 4 also demonstrated cytotoxicity against MCF-7 and HCT-116 (1.1 and 1.8 microg/mL, respectively), and reduced cytotoxicity towards MRC-5 cells (7.5 mirog/mL). The results revealed from the in vitro cytotoxic MTT assay are worthy of further antitumor investigation.

  18. Indazole-based potent and cell-active Mps1 kinase inhibitors: rational design from pan-kinase inhibitor anthrapyrazolone (SP600125).

    PubMed

    Kusakabe, Ken-ichi; Ide, Nobuyuki; Daigo, Yataro; Tachibana, Yuki; Itoh, Takeshi; Yamamoto, Takahiko; Hashizume, Hiroshi; Hato, Yoshio; Higashino, Kenichi; Okano, Yousuke; Sato, Yuji; Inoue, Makiko; Iguchi, Motofumi; Kanazawa, Takayuki; Ishioka, Yukichi; Dohi, Keiji; Kido, Yasuto; Sakamoto, Shingo; Yasuo, Kazuya; Maeda, Masahiro; Higaki, Masayo; Ueda, Kazuo; Yoshizawa, Hidenori; Baba, Yoshiyasu; Shiota, Takeshi; Murai, Hitoshi; Nakamura, Yusuke

    2013-06-13

    Monopolar spindle 1 (Mps1) is essential for centrosome duplication, the spindle assembly check point, and the maintenance of chromosomal instability. Mps1 is highly expressed in cancer cells, and its expression levels correlate with the histological grades of cancers. Thus, selective Mps1 inhibitors offer an attractive opportunity for the development of novel cancer therapies. To design novel Mps1 inhibitors, we utilized the pan-kinase inhibitor anthrapyrazolone (4, SP600125) and its crystal structure bound to JNK1. Our design efforts led to the identification of indazole-based lead 6 with an Mps1 IC50 value of 498 nM. Optimization of the 3- and 6-positions on the indazole core of 6 resulted in 23c with improved Mps1 activity (IC50 = 3.06 nM). Finally, application of structure-based design using the X-ray structure of 23d bound to Mps1 culminated in the discovery of 32a and 32b with improved potency for cellular Mps1 and A549 lung cancer cells. Moreover, 32a and 32b exhibited reasonable selectivities over 120 and 166 kinases, respectively.

  19. Antioxidant Activity and ROS-Dependent Apoptotic Effect of Scurrula ferruginea (Jack) Danser Methanol Extract in Human Breast Cancer Cell MDA-MB-231

    PubMed Central

    Marvibaigi, Mohsen; Amini, Neda; Supriyanto, Eko; Abdul Majid, Fadzilah Adibah; Kumar Jaganathan, Saravana; Jamil, Shajarahtunnur; Hamzehalipour Almaki, Javad; Nasiri, Rozita

    2016-01-01

    Scurrula ferruginea (Jack) Danser is one of the mistletoe species belonging to Loranthaceae family, which grows on the branches of many deciduous trees in tropical countries. This study evaluated the antioxidant activities of S. ferruginea extracts. The cytotoxic activity of the selected extracts, which showed potent antioxidant activities, and high phenolic and flavonoid contents, were investigated in human breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231) and non-cancer human skin fibroblast cells (HSF-1184). The activities and characteristics varied depending on the different parts of S. ferruginea, solvent polarity, and concentrations of extracts. The stem methanol extract showed the highest amount of both phenolic (273.51 ± 4.84 mg gallic acid/g extract) and flavonoid contents (163.41 ± 4.62 mg catechin/g extract) and strong DPPH• radical scavenging (IC50 = 27.81 μg/mL) and metal chelation activity (IC50 = 80.20 μg/mL). The stem aqueous extract showed the highest ABTS•+ scavenging ability. The stem methanol and aqueous extracts exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxic activity against MDA-MB-231 cells with IC50 of 19.27 and 50.35 μg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the extracts inhibited the migration and colony formation of MDA-MB-231 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Morphological observations revealed hallmark properties of apoptosis in treated cells. The methanol extract induced an increase in ROS generation and mitochondrial depolarization in MDA-MB-231 cells, suggesting its potent apoptotic activity. The present study demonstrated that the S. ferruginea methanol extract mediated MDA-MB-231 cell growth inhibition via induction of apoptosis which was confirmed by Western blot analysis. It may be a potential anticancer agent; however, its in vivo anticancer activity needs to be investigated. PMID:27410459

  20. Purified Brominated Indole Derivatives from Dicathais orbita Induce Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Arrest in Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines

    PubMed Central

    Esmaeelian, Babak; Benkendorff, Kirsten; Johnston, Martin R.; Abbott, Catherine A.

    2013-01-01

    Dicathais orbita is a large Australian marine gastropod known to produce bioactive compounds with anticancer properties. In this research, we used bioassay guided fractionation from the egg mass extract of D. orbita using flash column chromatography and identified fractions containing tyrindoleninone and 6-bromoisatin as the most active against colon cancer cells HT29 and Caco-2. Liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LCMS) and 1H NMR were used to characterize the purity and chemical composition of the isolated compounds. An MTT assay was used to determine effects on cell viability. Necrosis and apoptosis induction using caspase/LDH assay and flow cytometry (PI/Annexin-V) and cell cycle analysis were also investigated. Our results show that semi-purified 6-bromoisatin had the highest anti-cancer activity by inhibiting cell viability (IC50 = ~100 µM) and increasing caspase 3/7 activity in both of the cell lines at low concentration. The fraction containing 6-bromoisatin induced 77.6% apoptosis and arrested 25.7% of the cells in G2/M phase of cell cycle in HT29 cells. Tyrindoleninone was less potent but significantly decreased the viability of HT29 cells at IC50 = 390 µM and induced apoptosis at 195 µM by increasing caspase 3/7 activity in these cells. This research will facilitate the development of these molluscan natural products as novel complementary medicines for colorectal cancer. PMID:24152558

  1. Novel Marine Phenazines as Potential Cancer Chemopreventive and Anti-Inflammatory Agents

    PubMed Central

    Kondratyuk, Tamara P.; Park, Eun-Jung; Yu, Rui; van Breemen, Richard B.; Asolkar, Ratnakar N.; Murphy, Brian T.; Fenical, William; Pezzuto, John M.

    2012-01-01

    Two new (1 and 2) and one known phenazine derivative (lavanducyanin, 3) were isolated and identified from the fermentation broth of a marine-derived Streptomyces sp. (strain CNS284). In mammalian cell culture studies, compounds 1, 2 and 3 inhibited TNF-α-induced NFκB activity (IC50 values of 4.1, 24.2, and 16.3 μM, respectively) and LPS-induced nitric oxide production (IC50 values of >48.6, 15.1, and 8.0 μM, respectively). PGE2 production was blocked with greater efficacy (IC50 values of 7.5, 0.89, and 0.63 μM, respectively), possibly due to inhibition of cyclooxygenases in addition to the expression of COX-2. Treatment of cultured HL-60 cells led to dose-dependent accumulation in the subG1 compartment of the cell cycle, as a result of apoptosis. These data provide greater insight on the biological potential of phenazine derivatives, and some guidance on how various substituents may alter potential anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. PMID:22412812

  2. 1-Benzyl-indole-3-carbinol is a novel indole-3-carbinol derivative with significantly enhanced potency of anti-proliferative and anti-estrogenic properties in human breast cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    Nguyen, Hanh H.; Lavrenov, Sergey N.; Sundar, Shyam N.; Nguyen, David H.H.; Tseng, Min; Marconett, Crystal N.; Kung, Jenny; Staub, Richard E.; Preobrazhenskaya, Maria N.; Bjeldanes, Leonard F.; Firestone, Gary L.

    2012-01-01

    Indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a natural autolysis product of a gluccosinolate present in Brassica vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage, has anti-proliferative and anti-estrogenic activities in human breast cancer cells. A new and significantly more potent I3C analogue, 1-benzyl-I3C was synthesized, and in comparison to I3C, this novel derivative displayed an approximate 1000-fold enhanced potency in suppressing the growth of both estrogen responsive (MCF-7) and estrogen independent (MDA-MB-231) human breast cancer cells (I3C IC50 of 52 μM, and 1-benzyl-I3C IC50 of 0.05 μM). At significantly lower concentrations, 1-benzyl-I3C induced a robust G1 cell cycle arrest and elicited the key I3C-specific effects on expression and activity of G1 acting cell cycle genes including the disruption of endogenous interactions of the Sp1 transcription factor with the CDK6 promoter. Furthermore, in estrogen responsive MCF-7 cells, with enhanced potency 1-benzyl-I3C down regulated production of estrogen receptor-alpha protein, acts with tamoxifen to arrest breast cancer cell growth more effectively than either compound alone, and inhibited the in vivo growth of human breast cancer cell-derived tumor xenografts in athymic mice. Our results implicate 1-benzyl-I3C as a novel, potent inhibitor of human breast cancer proliferation and estrogen responsiveness that could potentially be developed into a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of indole-sensitive cancers. PMID:20570586

  3. Optimization of Cat's Whiskers Tea (Orthosiphon stamineus) Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide and Selective Chemotherapeutic Potential against Prostate Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Al-Suede, Fouad Saleih R.; Khadeer Ahamed, Mohamed B.; Abdul Majid, Aman S.; Baharetha, Hussin M.; Hassan, Loiy E. A.; Kadir, Mohd Omar A.; Nassar, Zeyad D.; Abdul Majid, Amin M. S.

    2014-01-01

    Cat's whiskers (Orthosiphon stamineus) leaves extracts were prepared using supercritical CO2 (SC-CO2) with full factorial design to determine the optimum extraction parameters. Nine extracts were obtained by varying pressure, temperature, and time. The extracts were analysed using FTIR, UV-Vis, and GC-MS. Cytotoxicity of the extracts was evaluated on human (colorectal, breast, and prostate) cancer and normal fibroblast cells. Moderate pressure (31.1 MPa) and temperature (60°C) were recorded as optimum extraction conditions with high yield (1.74%) of the extract (B2) at 60 min extraction time. The optimized extract (B2) displayed selective cytotoxicity against prostate cancer (PC3) cells (IC50 28 µg/mL) and significant antioxidant activity (IC50 42.8 µg/mL). Elevated levels of caspases 3/7 and 9 in B2-treated PC3 cells suggest the induction of apoptosis through nuclear and mitochondrial pathways. Hoechst and rhodamine assays confirmed the nuclear condensation and disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential in the cells. B2 also demonstrated inhibitory effects on motility and colonies of PC3 cells at its subcytotoxic concentrations. It is noteworthy that B2 displayed negligible toxicity against the normal cells. Chemometric analysis revealed high content of essential oils, hydrocarbon, fatty acids, esters, and aromatic sesquiterpenes in B2. This study highlights the therapeutic potentials of SC-CO2 extract of cat's whiskers in targeting prostate carcinoma. PMID:25276215

  4. Purified Essential Oil from Ocimum sanctum Linn. Triggers the Apoptotic Mechanism in Human Breast Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Manaharan, Thamilvaani; Thirugnanasampandan, Ramaraj; Jayakumar, Rajarajeswaran; Kanthimathi, M. S.; Ramya, Gunasekar; Ramnath, Madhusudhanan Gogul

    2016-01-01

    Background: Essential oil of Ocimum sanctum Linn. exhibited various pharmacological activities including antifungal and antimicrobial activities. In this study, we analyzed the anticancer and apoptosis mechanisms of Ocimum sanctum essential oil (OSEO). Objective: To trigger the apoptosis mechanism in human breast cancer cells using OSEO. Materials and Methods: OSEO was extracted using hydrodistillation of the leaves. Cell proliferation was determined using different concentrations of OSEO. Apoptosis studies were carried out in human breast cancer cells using propidium iodide (PI) and Hoechst staining. Results: We found that OSEO inhibited proliferation (IC50 = 170 μg/ml) of Michigan cancer foundation-7 (MCF-7) cells in a dose-dependent manner. The OSEO also induced apoptosis as evidenced by the increasing number of PI-stained apoptotic nucleic of MCF-7 cells. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that treatment with OSEO (50–500 μg/ml) increased the apoptotic cells population (16–84%) dose dependently compared to the control. OSEO has the ability to up-regulate the apoptotic genes p53 and Bid and as well as elevates the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that OSEO has the ability as proapoptotic inducer and it could be developed as an anticancer agent. SUMMARY OSEO inhibited proliferation of MCF-7 cells with an IC50 of 170 μg/mLOSEO at 500 μg/mL increased the population of apoptotic cells by 84%OSEO up-regulated the expression of apoptotic genes and as well increased the Bax/Bcl2 ratio. Abbreviations used: BAX: BAX BCL2-associated X protein; BCL2: B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2; BID: BH3 Interacting domain death agonist; OSEO: Ocimum sanctum essential oil; DMSO: Dimethyl sulfoxide; DMEM: Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium; MCF-7: Michigan cancer foundation-7; RT-PCR: Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction. PMID:27563220

  5. Synthesis of 7-hydroxy-4'-methoxyflavanone and 7-hydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone as a candidate anticancer against cervical (HeLa) cancer cell and colon (WiDr) cancer cell by in vitro

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matsjeh, Sabirin; Anwar, Chairil; Solikhah, Eti Nurwening; Farah, Harra Ismi; Nurfitria, Kurnia

    2017-03-01

    The compound 7-hydroxy-4'-methoxyflavanone and 7-hydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone have been synthesized through cyclization reaction of 2 ', 4'-dihydroxy-4-methoxychalcone (1,3-diphenyl-2-propene-1-one). The 2 ', 4'-dihydroxy-4-methoxychalcone were synthesized through Claisen-Schmidt condensation from 2,4-dihydroxyacetophenone and 4-methoxybenzaldehyde (anisaldehyde) in aqueous KOH as a catalyst in ethanol. The 7-hydroxy-4'-methoxyflavanone has been synthesized through cyclization reaction of 2 ', 4'-dihydroxy-4-methoxychalcone by Oxa-Michael addition reaction with sulfuric acid as a catalyst in ethanol. The 7-hydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone has been synthesized through oxidative cyclization reaction of 2 ', 4'-dihydroxy-4-methoxychalcone using I2 in DMSO as a catalyst with a mole ratio (1: 1) mol. All these producets were characterized by FT-IR, GC-MS, and 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectrometer. Both of these compounds were tested citotoxycity activity as an anticancer against cervical and colon cancer cells (HeLa and WiDr cell lines) using MTT assay in vitro. Dose series given test solution concentration on HeLa and WiDr cells starting from 0,78; 1,56; 3,12; 6,25; 12,50; 25; 50 and 100 µg/mL with a long incubation treatment for 24 hours. The results study showed that the 7-hydroxy-4'-methoxyflavanone as bright yellow crystals with a melting point 172-174 ° C and a yield of 56.67% and the 7-hydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone as bright yellow crystals with a yield of 88, 31%, and a melting point of 263-265 ° C. The test results cytotoxic 7-hydroxy-4-methoxyflavone showed active against HeLa cells with IC50 value of 25.73 µg/mL and was quite active in the WiDr cells with IC50 value of 83.75 µg/mL. The result of the activity of 7-hydroxy-4-methoxyflavanone show active cytotoxic activity against HeLa and WiDr cell growth with IC50 value of 40.13 µg/mL and 37.85 µg/mL. IC50 value indicated that 7-hydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone and 7-hydroxy-4'-methoxyflavanone potential as inhibitors in HeLa and WiDr. cells

  6. HPLC analysis and cytotoxic activity of Vernonia cinerea.

    PubMed

    Khay, Mom; Toeng, Phirom; Mahiou-Leddet, Valérie; Mabrouki, Fathi; Sothea, Kim; Ollivier, Evelyne; Elias, Riad; Bun, Sok-Siya

    2012-10-01

    The extracts of five Cambodian medicinal plants (Aganosma marginata, Dracaena cambodiana, Harrisonia perforata, Hymenodictyon excelsum and Vernonia cinerea) were evaluated in vitro for their cytotoxic activity against HT29 colon adenocarcinoma cells and HepG2 hepatoma cells, using the MTT assay. Among these five plants, Vernonia cinerea displayed potent cytotoxicity. One main sesquiterpene lactone, 8alpha-tigloyloxy-hirsutinolide-13-O-acetate was isolated from the whole plant of V. cinerea. This compound was active against both cancer cell lines (IC50 = 3.50 microM for HT29 and IC50 = 4.27 microM for HepG2). To quantify this compound in the plant, an analytical high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed and validated.

  7. Adenovirus-mediated IL-24 expression enhances the chemosensitivity of multidrug-resistantgastric cancer cells to cisplatin.

    PubMed

    Mao, Zonglei; Bian, Guochun; Sheng, Weihua; He, Songbin; Yang, Jicheng; Dong, Xiaoqiang

    2013-11-01

    Chemotherapy is one of the commonly used strategies in gastric cancer, especially for unresectable patients, but it becomes insensitive to repeated administration of even the most effective chemotherapeutic agents, such as cisplatin. Given this, there is an urgent need for developing chemosensitizers to overcome acquired resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. Interleukin-24 (IL-24), a cytokine-tumor suppressor, shows broad-spectrum and tumor-specific antitumor properties, and studies have demonstrated that IL-24 could conspicuously restore the chemosensitivity of MDR cancer cells. Herein, we developed a human MDR gastric cancer cell subline, SGC7901/CDDP, by repeated selection of resistant clones of parental sensitive cells, and further investigated the chemosensitizing effects and the underlying mechanisms of adenovirus-mediated IL-24 (Ad-IL-24) gene therapy plus CDDP for the human MDR gastric cancer cells SGC7901/CDDP in vitro and in vivo. The results demonstrated that the expression of IL-24 mRNA and protein was profoundly downregulated in SGC7901/CDDP cells by RT-PCR and western blot analysis. In addition, the cell viability assay showed that the IC50 of SGC7901/CDDP cells to CDDP, 5-FU, ADM and MTX was significantly enhanced compared to parental sensitive SGC7901 cells. Ad-IL-24-induced IL-24 overexpression decreased the IC50 of the above agents (not MTX), induced G2/M cell cycle arrest, and Ad-IL-24 plus CDDP elicited significant apoptosis and tumor suppression of SGC7901/CDDP cells in vitro and SGC7901/CDDP cell xenograft tumors in vivo, respectively. Moreover, our results demonstrated that the mechanisms of Ad-IL-24-elicited chemosensitizing effects were closely associated with a substantial upregulation of Bax and downregulation of P-gp and Bcl-2 in SGC7901/CDDP cells in vitro and SGC7901/CDDP xenograft tissues in vivo. Thus, this study indicates that overexpression of IL-24 gene can significantly promote chemosensitivity in MDR phenotype SGC7901/CDDP gastric cancer cells.

  8. Cytotoxicity Evaluation of Essential Oil and its Component from Zingiber officinale Roscoe.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yongkyu

    2016-07-01

    Zingiber officinale Roscoe has been widely used as a folk medicine to treat various diseases, including cancer. This study aims to re-examine the therapeutic potential of co-administration of natural products and cancer chemotherapeutics. Candidate material for this project, α-zingiberene, was extracted from Zingiber officinale Roscoe, and α-zingiberene makes up 35.02 ± 0.30% of its total essential oil. α-Zingiberene showed low IC50 values, 60.6 ± 3.6, 46.2 ± 0.6, 172.0 ± 6.6, 80.3 ± 6.6 (μg/mL) in HeLa, SiHa, MCF-7 and HL-60 cells each. These values are a little bit higher than IC50 values of general essential oil in those cells. The treatment of α-zingiberene produced nucleosomal DNA fragmentation in SiHa cells, and the percentage of sub-diploid cells increased in a concentration-dependent manner in SiHa cells, hallmark features of apoptosis. Mitochondrial cytochrome c activation and an in vitro caspase-3 activity assay demonstrated that the activation of caspases accompanies the apoptotic effect of α-zingiberene, which mediates cell death. These results suggest that the apoptotic effect of α-zingiberene on SiHa cells may converge caspase-3 activation through the release of mitochondrial cytochrome c into cytoplasm. It is considered that anti-proliferative effect of α-zingiberene is a result of apoptotic effects, and α-zingiberene is worth furthermore study to develop it as cancer chemotherapeutics.

  9. Cytotoxicity Evaluation of Essential Oil and its Component from Zingiber officinale Roscoe

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Yongkyu

    2016-01-01

    Zingiber officinale Roscoe has been widely used as a folk medicine to treat various diseases, including cancer. This study aims to re-examine the therapeutic potential of co-administration of natural products and cancer chemotherapeutics. Candidate material for this project, α-zingiberene, was extracted from Zingiber officinale Roscoe, and α-zingiberene makes up 35.02 ± 0.30% of its total essential oil. α-Zingiberene showed low IC50 values, 60.6 ± 3.6, 46.2 ± 0.6, 172.0 ± 6.6, 80.3 ± 6.6 (μg/mL) in HeLa, SiHa, MCF-7 and HL-60 cells each. These values are a little bit higher than IC50 values of general essential oil in those cells. The treatment of α-zingiberene produced nucleosomal DNA fragmentation in SiHa cells, and the percentage of sub-diploid cells increased in a concentration-dependent manner in SiHa cells, hallmark features of apoptosis. Mitochondrial cytochrome c activation and an in vitro caspase-3 activity assay demonstrated that the activation of caspases accompanies the apoptotic effect of α-zingiberene, which mediates cell death. These results suggest that the apoptotic effect of α-zingiberene on SiHa cells may converge caspase-3 activation through the release of mitochondrial cytochrome c into cytoplasm. It is considered that anti-proliferative effect of α-zingiberene is a result of apoptotic effects, and α-zingiberene is worth furthermore study to develop it as cancer chemotherapeutics. PMID:27437089

  10. Thiazole-based nitrogen mustards: Design, synthesis, spectroscopic studies, DFT calculation, molecular docking, and antiproliferative activity against selected human cancer cell lines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Łączkowski, Krzysztof Z.; Świtalska, Marta; Baranowska-Łączkowska, Angelika; Plech, Tomasz; Paneth, Agata; Misiura, Konrad; Wietrzyk, Joanna; Czaplińska, Barbara; Mrozek-Wilczkiewicz, Anna; Malarz, Katarzyna; Musioł, Robert; Grela, Izabela

    2016-09-01

    Synthesis, characterization and investigation of antiproliferative activity of ten thiazole-based nitrogen mustard against human cancer cells lines (MV4-11, A549, MCF-7 and HCT116) and normal mouse fibroblast (BALB/3T3) is presented. The structures of novel compounds were determined using 1H and 13C NMR, FAB(+)-MS, and elemental analyses. Among the derivatives, 5b, 5c, 5e, 5f and 5i were found to exhibit high activity against human leukaemia MV4-11 cells with IC50 values of 2.17-4.26 μg/ml. The cytotoxic activity of compound 5c and 5f against BALB/3T3 cells is up to 20 times lower than against cancer cell lines. Our results also show that compounds 5e and 5i have very strong activity against MCF-7 and HCT116 with IC50 values of 3.02-4.13 μg/ml. Moreover, spectroscopic characterization and cellular localization for selected compound were performed. In order to identify potential drug targets we perform computer simulations with DNA-binding site of hTopoI and hTopoII and quantum chemical calculation of interaction and binding energies in complexes of the five most active compounds with guanine.

  11. An Investigation of the Growth Inhibitory Capacity of Several Medicinal Plants From Iran on Tumor Cell Lines

    PubMed Central

    Esmaeilbeig, Maryam; Kouhpayeh, Seyed Amin; Amirghofran, Zahra

    2015-01-01

    Background: Traditional herbal medicine is a valuable resource that provides new drugs for cancer treatment. Objectives: In this study we aim to screen and investigate the in vitro anti-tumor activities of ten species of plants commonly grown in Southern Iran. Materials and Methods: We used the MTT colorimetric assay to evaluate the cytotoxic activities of the methanol extracts of these plants on various tumor cell lines. The IC50 was calculated as a scale for this evaluation. Results: Satureja bachtiarica, Satureja hortensis, Thymus vulgaris, Thymus daenensis and Mentha lonigfolia showed the inhibitoriest effects on Jurkat cells with > 80% inhibition at 200 µg/mL. Satureja hortensis (IC50: 66.7 µg/mL) was the most effective. These plants also strongly inhibited K562 cell growth; Satureja bachtiarica (IC50: 28.3 µg/mL), Satureja hortensis (IC50: 52 µg/mL) and Thymus vulgaris (IC50: 87 µg/mL) were the most effective extracts. Cichorium intybus, Rheum ribes, Alhagi pseudalhagi and Glycyrrihza glabra also showed notable effects on the leukemia cell lines. The Raji cell line was mostly inhibited by Satureja bachtiarica and Thymus vulgaris with approximately 40% inhibition at 200µg/ml. The influence of these extracts on solid tumor cell lines was not strong. Fen cells were mostly affected by Glycyrrihza glabra (IC50: 182 µg/mL) and HeLa cells by Satureja hortensis (31.6% growth inhibitory effect at 200 µg/mL). Conclusions: Leukemic cell lines were more sensitive to the extracts than the solid tumor cell lines; Satureja hortensis, Satureja bachtiarica, Thymus vulgaris, Thymus daenensis and Mentha lonigfolia showed remarkable inhibitory potential. PMID:26634114

  12. Evaluation of Pistacia lentiscus seed oil and phenolic compounds for in vitro antiproliferative effects against BHK21 cells.

    PubMed

    Mezni, Faten; Shili, Sarra; Ben Ali, Nejia; Larbi Khouja, Mohamed; Khaldi, Abdelhamid; Maaroufi, Abderrazak

    2016-01-01

    Within the global context of increasing cancer diseases, natural products are important in devising new drugs and providing unique ideas in cancer therapy. In Tunisian folk medicine, Pistacia lentiscus L. (Anacardiaceae) fixed oil is used for cancer treatment. This investigation studied, for the first time, the antiproliferative effect of Pistacia lentiscus fixed oil and its phenolic extract on BHK21 cancer cells. Oil was extracted from fruits harvested in northwest Tunisia and the phenolic fraction was obtained by mixing with methanol. The anti-proliferative activity of the two tested substances on BHK 21 cells were investigated in vitro using trypan blue assays. Cells were treated with different concentrations of P. lentiscus oil (0.009, 0.018, 0.036, and 0.09 g/mL) and the phenolic extract (0.007, 0.014, 0.03, and 0.07 g/mL) for 24, 48, and 72 h. The inhibitory effect of Pistacia lentiscus fixed oil increases with the increase in dose. The IC50 value was estimated at 0.029 g/mL. The percentage of cell viability was 42.46 ± 3.4% at a dose of 0.09 g/mL and was significantly lower than that of the untreated control (96.24 ± 2.5%, p<0.01). The phenolic extract demonstrated a dose- and time-dependent inhibitory effect on BHK21 cell growth. After 48 h of incubation, the IC50 value was estimated at 0.15 g/mL. The results demonstrated the potential of Pistacia lentiscus fixed oil in treating cancer, as it is used in traditional medicine.

  13. Dendrimer-based nanocarriers demonstrating a high efficiency for loading and releasing anticancer drugs against cancer cells in vitro and in vivo

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Quyen Tran, Ngoc; Khoa Nguyen, Cuu; Phuong Nguyen, Thi

    2013-12-01

    Dendrimer, a new class of hyper-branched polymer with predetermined molecular weight and well-controlled size, has received much attention in nanobiomedical applications such as drug carrier, gene therapy, disease diagnosis, etc. In this study, pegylated polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer at generation 3.0 (G 3.0) and carboxylated PAMAM dendrimer G 2.5 were prepared for loading anticancer drugs. For loading cisplatin, carboxylated dendrimer could carry 26.64 wt/wt% of cisplatin. The nanocomplexes have size ranging from 10 to 30 nm in diameter. The drug nanocarrier showed activity against NCI-H460 lung cancer cell line with half maximal inhibitory (IC50) of 23.11 ± 2.08 μg ml-1. Pegylated PAMAM dendrimers (G 3.0) were synthesized below 40 nm in diameter for carrying 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). For 5-FU encapsulation, pegylated dendrimer showed a high drug-loading efficiency of the drug and a slow release profile of 5-FU. The drug nanocarrier system exhibited an antiproliferative activity against MCF-7 cells (breast cancer cell) with a half maximal inhibitory (IC50) of 9.92 ± 0.19 μg ml-1. In vivo tumor xenograft study showed that the 5-FU encapsulated pegylation of dendrimer exhibited a significant decrement in volume of tumor which was generated by MCF-7 cancer cells. These positive results from our studies could pave the ways for further research of drugs dendrimer nanocarriers toward cancer chemotherapy.

  14. SN-38 loaded polymeric micelles to enhance cancer therapy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gu, Quanrong; Xing, James Z.; Huang, Min; He, Chuan; Chen, Jie

    2012-05-01

    7-Ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN-38) loaded poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (Pluronic F-108) and poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PEG-b-PCL) nanoparticles were successfully prepared by a modified film hydration method and characterized by scanning electric microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Satisfactory drug loading of 20.73 ± 0.66% and a high encapsulation efficiency of 83.83 ± 1.32% were achieved. The SN-38 nanoparticles (SN-38 NPs) can completely disperse into a phosphate buffered saline (PBS) medium to produce a clear aqueous suspension that remains stable for up to three days. Total drug releases were 67.91% and 91.09% after 24 h in a PBS or fetal bovine serum (FBS) medium. Half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) tests of SN-38 and SN-38 NPs on A549 lung cells produced results of 200.0 ± 14.9 ng ml-1 and 80.0 ± 4.6 ng ml-1, respectively. Similarly, IC50 tests of SN-38 and SN-38 NPs on MCF-7 breast cells yielded results of 16.0 ± 0.7 ng ml-1 and 8.0 ± 0.5 ng ml-1, respectively. These in vitro IC50 studies show significant (p < 0.01) enhancement of the SN-38 NP drug efficiency in killing cancer cells in comparison to the free drug SN-38 control. All the materials used for this nanoformulation are approved by the US FDA, with the virtue of extremely low toxicity to normal cells.

  15. Anti-lung cancer potential of pure esteric-glycoside condurangogenin A against nonsmall-cell lung cancer cells in vitro via p21/p53 mediated cell cycle modulation and DNA damage-induced apoptosis

    PubMed Central

    Sikdar, Sourav; Mukherjee, Avinaba; Khuda-Bukhsh, Anisur Rahman

    2015-01-01

    Background: Marsdenia condurango (condurango) is a tropical woody vine native to South America. Our earlier study was limited to evaluation of anti-cancer potentials of crude condurango extract and its glycoside-rich components in vitro on lung cancer. Objective: This study aims at evaluating the effect of the single isolated active ingredient condurangogenin A (ConA; C32H42O7) on A549, H522 and H460-nonsmall-cell lung cancer cells. Materials and Methods: ConA was isolated by column chromatography and analyzed by mass spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and proton-nuclear magnetic resonance. diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays were conducted on three cell-types using 6%-alcohol as control. Critical studies on cellular morphology, cell-cycle regulation, reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial membrane potential, and DNA-damage were made, and expressions of related signaling markers studied. Results: As IC50 doses of ConA proved to be too high and toxic to both A549 and H522 cells, all experimental studies were carried out on H460 cells with the IC50 dose (32 μg/ml − 24 h). Cellular morphology revealed typical apoptotic features after ConA treatment. At early treatment hours (2 h-12 h), maximum cells were arrested at G0/G1 phase that could be correlated with reduced level of cyclin D1-CDK with p21 up-regulation. At 18 h − 24 h, sub G0/G1 cell population was increased gradually, as revealed from cytochrome-c release and caspase-3 activation, further confirming the apoptosis-inducing ability of ConA at later phases. Gradual increase of TUNEL-positive cells with significant modulation of mitochondria-dependent apoptotic markers at longer time-points would establish apoptosis-induction property of ConA, indicating its potential as a strong candidate for anti-cancer drug formulation. Conclusion: Further studies are warranted against other types of cancer cells and animal models before its possible human use. PMID:26109778

  16. Anti-lung cancer potential of pure esteric-glycoside condurangogenin A against nonsmall-cell lung cancer cells in vitro via p21/p53 mediated cell cycle modulation and DNA damage-induced apoptosis.

    PubMed

    Sikdar, Sourav; Mukherjee, Avinaba; Khuda-Bukhsh, Anisur Rahman

    2015-05-01

    Marsdenia condurango (condurango) is a tropical woody vine native to South America. Our earlier study was limited to evaluation of anti-cancer potentials of crude condurango extract and its glycoside-rich components in vitro on lung cancer. This study aims at evaluating the effect of the single isolated active ingredient condurangogenin A (ConA; C32H42O7) on A549, H522 and H460-nonsmall-cell lung cancer cells. ConA was isolated by column chromatography and analyzed by mass spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and proton-nuclear magnetic resonance. diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays were conducted on three cell-types using 6%-alcohol as control. Critical studies on cellular morphology, cell-cycle regulation, reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial membrane potential, and DNA-damage were made, and expressions of related signaling markers studied. As IC50 doses of ConA proved to be too high and toxic to both A549 and H522 cells, all experimental studies were carried out on H460 cells with the IC50 dose (32 μg/ml - 24 h). Cellular morphology revealed typical apoptotic features after ConA treatment. At early treatment hours (2 h-12 h), maximum cells were arrested at G0/G1 phase that could be correlated with reduced level of cyclin D1-CDK with p21 up-regulation. At 18 h - 24 h, sub G0/G1 cell population was increased gradually, as revealed from cytochrome-c release and caspase-3 activation, further confirming the apoptosis-inducing ability of ConA at later phases. Gradual increase of TUNEL-positive cells with significant modulation of mitochondria-dependent apoptotic markers at longer time-points would establish apoptosis-induction property of ConA, indicating its potential as a strong candidate for anti-cancer drug formulation. Further studies are warranted against other types of cancer cells and animal models before its possible human use.

  17. Cellular uptake and anticancer activity of carboxylated gallium corroles

    PubMed Central

    Pribisko, Melanie; Palmer, Joshua; Grubbs, Robert H.; Gray, Harry B.; Termini, John; Lim, Punnajit

    2016-01-01

    We report derivatives of gallium(III) tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrole, 1 [Ga(tpfc)], with either sulfonic (2) or carboxylic acids (3, 4) as macrocyclic ring substituents: the aminocaproate derivative, 3 [Ga(ACtpfc)], demonstrated high cytotoxic activity against all NCI60 cell lines derived from nine tumor types and confirmed very high toxicity against melanoma cells, specifically the LOX IMVI and SK-MEL-28 cell lines. The toxicities of 1, 2, 3, and 4 [Ga(3-ctpfc)] toward prostate (DU-145), melanoma (SK-MEL-28), breast (MDA-MB-231), and ovarian (OVCAR-3) cancer cells revealed a dependence on the ring substituent: IC50 values ranged from 4.8 to >200 µM; and they correlated with the rates of uptake, extent of intracellular accumulation, and lipophilicity. Carboxylated corroles 3 and 4, which exhibited about 10-fold lower IC50 values (<20 µM) relative to previous analogs against all four cancer cell lines, displayed high efficacy (Emax = 0). Confocal fluorescence imaging revealed facile uptake of functionalized gallium corroles by all human cancer cells that followed the order: 4 >> 3 > 2 >> 1 (intracellular accumulation of gallium corroles was fastest in melanoma cells). We conclude that carboxylated gallium corroles are promising chemotherapeutics with the advantage that they also can be used for tumor imaging. PMID:27044076

  18. Growth Inhibition of Human Gynecologic and Colon Cancer Cells by Phyllanthus watsonii through Apoptosis Induction

    PubMed Central

    Ramasamy, Sujatha; Abdul Wahab, Norhanom; Zainal Abidin, Nurhayati; Manickam, Sugumaran; Zakaria, Zubaidah

    2012-01-01

    Phyllanthus watsonii Airy Shaw is an endemic plant found in Peninsular Malaysia. Although there are numerous reports on the anti cancer properties of other Phyllanthus species, published information on the cytotoxicity of P. watsonii are very limited. The present study was carried out with bioassay-guided fractionation approach to evaluate the cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction capability of the P. watsonii extracts and fractions on human gynecologic (SKOV-3 and Ca Ski) and colon (HT-29) cancer cells. P. watsonii extracts exhibited strong cytotoxicity on all the cancer cells studied with IC50 values of ≤ 20.0 µg/mL. Hexane extract of P. watsonii was further subjected to bioassay-guided fractionation and yielded 10 fractions (PW-1→PW-10). PW-4→PW-8 portrayed stronger cytotoxic activity and was further subjected to bioassay-guided fractionation and resulted with 8 sub-fractions (PPWH-1→PPWH-8). PPWH-7 possessed greatest cytotoxicity (IC50 values ranged from 0.66 – 0.83 µg/mL) and was selective on the cancer cells studied. LC-MS/MS analysis of PPWH-7 revealed the presence of ellagic acid, geranic acid, glochidone, betulin, phyllanthin and sterol glucoside. Marked morphological changes, ladder-like appearance of DNA and increment in caspase-3 activity indicating apoptosis were clearly observed in both human gynecologic and colon cancer cells treated with P. watsonii especially with PPWH-7. The study also indicated that P. watsonii extracts arrested cell cycle at different growth phases in SKOV-3, Ca Ski and HT-29 cells. Cytotoxic and apoptotic potential of the endemic P. watsonii was investigated for the first time by bioassay-guided approach. These results demonstrated that P. watsonii selectively inhibits the growth of SKOV-3, Ca Ski and HT-29 cells through apoptosis induction and cell cycle modulation. Hence, P. watsonii has the potential to be further exploited for the discovery and development of new anti cancer drugs. PMID:22536331

  19. Synthesis and Characterization of a New Benzoindole Derivative with Apoptotic Activity Against Colon Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Hajiaghaalipour, Fatemeh; Faraj, Fadhil L; Bagheri, Elham; Ali, Hapipah M; Abdulla, Mahmood Ameen; Majid, Nazia A

    2017-01-01

    Colorectal cancer is the third most common form of cancer in both men and women around the world. The chemistry and biological study of heterocyclic compounds have been an interesting area for a long time in pharmaceutical and medicinal chemistry. A new synthetic compound, 2-(1,1-dimethyl-1H-benzo[e]indol-2-yl)-3-((2-hydroxyphenyl)amino) acrylaldehyde, abbreviated as DBID, was prepared through the reaction of 2-(diformylmethylidene)-1,1- dimethylbenzo[e]indole with 2-aminophenol. The chemical structure of the synthesized compound was characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR and APT-NMR spectroscopy and confirmed by elemental analysis (CHN). The compound was screened for the antiproliferation effect against colorectal cancer cell line, HCT 116 and its possible mechanism of action was elucidated. To determine the IC50 value, the MTT assay was used and its apoptosisinducing effect was investigated. DBID inhibited the proliferation of HCT 116 cells with an IC50 of 9.32 µg/ml and significantly increased the levels of caspase -8, -9 and -3/7 in the treated cells compared to untreated cells. Apoptosis features in HCT 116 cell was detected in treated cells by using the AO/PI staining that confirmed that the cells had undergone remarkable morphological changes in apoptotic bodies. Furthermore, this changes in expression of caspase -8, -9 and -3 were confirmed by gene and protein quantification using RT-PCR and western blot analysis, respectively. The current study showed that the DBID compound has demonstrated chemotherapeutic activity which was evidenced by significant increases in the expression and activation of caspase and exploit the apoptotic signaling pathways to trigger cancer cell death. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  20. A triterpenoid from wild bitter gourd inhibits breast cancer cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bai, Li-Yuan; Chiu, Chang-Fang; Chu, Po-Chen; Lin, Wei-Yu; Chiu, Shih-Jiuan; Weng, Jing-Ru

    2016-03-01

    The antitumor activity of 3β,7β,25-trihydroxycucurbita-5,23(E)-dien-19-al (TCD), a triterpenoid isolated from wild bitter gourd, in breast cancer cells was investigated. TCD suppressed the proliferation of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells with IC50 values at 72 h of 19 and 23 μM, respectively, via a PPARγ-independent manner. TCD induced cell apoptosis accompanied with pleiotrophic biological modulations including down-regulation of Akt-NF-κB signaling, up-regulation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and p53, increased reactive oxygen species generation, inhibition of histone deacetylases protein expression, and cytoprotective autophagy. Together, these findings provided the translational value of TCD and wild bitter gourd as an antitumor agent for patients with breast cancer.

  1. Effect of lithium chloride and antineoplastic drugs on survival and cell cycle of androgen-dependent prostate cancer LNCap cells

    PubMed Central

    Azimian-Zavareh, Vajihe; Hossein, Ghamartaj; Janzamin, Ehsan

    2012-01-01

    Objective: Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) has been reported to be required for androgen receptor (AR) activity. This study sought to determine the usefulness of lithium chloride (LiCl) as a highly selective inhibitor of GSK-3β to increase the sensitivity of LNCap cells to doxorubicin (Dox), etoposide (Eto), and vinblastine (Vin) drugs. Materials and Methods: Thiazolyl Blue Tetrazolium Blue (MTT) assay was used to determine the cytotoxic effect to LiCl alone or in combination with low dose and IC50 doses of drugs. Subsequently, cell cycle analysis was performed by using flow cytometry. Results: LiCl showed cytotoxic effect in a dose- and time-dependent manner (P<0.001). Both Dox (100 or 280 nM) and Vin IC50 (5 nM) doses caused G2/M-phase arrest (P<0.001) compared with control. However, low dose (10 μM) or IC50 (70 μM) Eto doses showed G2/M or S-phase arrests, respectively (P<0.001). Combination of low dose or IC50 dose of Eto with LiCl showed increased apoptosis as revealed by high percent of cells in SubG1 (P<0.05, P<0.01, respectively). Moreover, Eto (10 μM) led to decreased percent of cells in G2/M phase when combined with LiCl (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that LiCl increases apoptosis of (LNCap) Lymph Node Carcinoma of the Prostate cells in the presence of Eto, which is S- and G2-phase-specific drug. PMID:23248400

  2. Cytotoxic Compounds from Brucea mollis

    PubMed Central

    Tung, Mai Hung Thanh; Đuc, Ho Viet; Huong, Tran Thu; Duong, Nguyen Thanh; Phuong, Do Thi; Thao, Do Thi; Tai, Bui Huu; Kim, Young Ho; Bach, Tran The; Cuong, Nguyen Manh

    2013-01-01

    Ten compounds, including soulameanone (1), isobruceine B (2), 9-methoxy-canthin-6-one (3), bruceolline F (4), niloticine (5), octatriacontan-1-ol (6), bombiprenone (7), α-tocopherol (8), inosine (9), and apigenin 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (10), were isolated from the leaves, stems, and roots of Brucea mollis Wall. ex Kurz. Their structures were determined using one-and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. All compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against KB (human carcinoma of the mouth), LU-1 (human lung adenocarcinoma), LNCaP (human prostate adeno-carcinoma), and HL-60 (human promyelocytic leukemia) cancer cell lines. Compound 2 showed significant cytotoxic activity against KB, LU-1, LNCaP, and HL-60 cancer cells with IC50 values of 0.39, 0.40, 0.34, and 0.23 μg/mL, respectively. In addition, compounds 3 and 5 showed significant cytotoxic activity against KB, LU-1, LNCaP, and HL-60 cancer cells with IC50 values around 1–4 μg/mL. Compounds 9-methoxycanthin-6-one (3) and niloticine (5) have been discovered for the first time from the Brucea genus. PMID:24106661

  3. Antiproliferative and apoptotic activities of extracts of Asclepias subulata.

    PubMed

    Rascón Valenzuela, Luisa Alondra; Jiménez Estrada, Manuel; Velázquez Contreras, Carlos Arturo; Garibay Escobar, Adriana; Medina Juárez, Luis Angel; Gámez Meza, Nohemi; Robles Zepeda, Ramón Enrique

    2015-01-01

    Asclepias subulata Decne. (Apocynaceae) is a shrub used in the Mexican traditional medicine for the treatment of cancer. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antiproliferative activity of methanol extract of aerial parts of A. subulata and its fractions against different cancer cell lines. Additionally, we analyzed the mechanism of action of the active fractions. Methanol extract fractions were prepared by serial extraction with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and ethanol. The antiproliferative activity of methanol extract and its fractions was evaluated, against several murine (M12.C3.F6, RAW 264.7, and L929) and human (HeLa, A549, PC-3, LS 180, and ARPE-19) cell lines by the MTT assay, using concentrations of 0.4-400 µg/mL for 48 h. Ethanol and residual fractions were separated using silica gel column. Apoptosis induction of cancer cells was evaluated by Annexin and JC-1 staining using flow cytometry. Methanol extract and its fractions showed antiproliferative activity against all human cancer cell lines tested. Methanol extract had the highest antiproliferative activity on A549 and HeLa cells (IC50 values < 0.4 and 8.7 µg/mL, respectively). Ethanol and residual fractions exerted significant antiproliferative effect on A549 (IC50 < 0.4 µg/mL) and PC3 cells (IC50 1.4 and 5.1 µg/mL). Apoptotic assays showed that CEF7, CEF9, CRF6, and CRF5 fractions induced mitochondrial depolarization in A549 cells, 70, 73, 77, and 80%, respectively. Those fractions triggered the apoptosis mitochondrial pathway. Our data show that A. subulata extracts have potent antiproliferative properties on human cancer cell lines. This plant should be considered an important source of potent anticancer compounds.

  4. Synthesis of 2',4-dihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone and 2',4',4-trihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone as a candidate anticancer against cervical (WiDr), colon (HeLa), and breast (T47d) cancer cell lines in vitro

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matsjeh, Sabirin; Swasono, Respati Tri; Anwar, Chairil; Solikhah, Eti Nurwening; Lestari, Endang

    2017-03-01

    The compound 2',4-dihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone and 2',4',4-trihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone have been synthesized through Claisen-Schmidt reaction from 2-hydroxyacetophenone and 2,4-dihydroxyacetophenone with 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy benzaldehida (vanillin) in aqueous KOH 40% and KSF montmorillonite as catalyst in methanol. All these products were characterized by FT-IR, TLC Scanner, GC-MS, MS-Direct, and 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectrometer. Both of these compounds were tested citotoxycity activity as an anticancer against cervical, colon, and breast cancer cells (Hela, WiDr, and T47D cell lines) using MTT assay in vitro. Dose series given test solution concentration on Hela, WiDr, and T47D cells started from 6,25; 25; 50 and 100 µg/mL with incubation treatment for 24 hours. The result of study showed that the 2',4-dihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone as bright yellow crystal with the melting point of 114-115 °C and the yield of 13.77% and the 2',4',4-trihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone as bright yellow crystals with the melting point of 195-197 °C and the yield of 6%. Other 2',4-dihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone and 2',4',4-trihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone also exhibited cytotoxic activity against the cancer cell lines, with the 2',4',4-trihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone showed greater activities than the 2',4-dihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone in WiDr cell lines. The 2',4-dihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone and 2',4',4-trihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone exhibited strong anticancer activities with IC50 value below 20 µg/mL. The activity of 2',4',4-trihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone showed the most active against Hela and WiDr cell lines with IC50 value 8.53 and 2.66 µg/mL respectively, than T47D cell lines with IC50 value 24.61 µg/mL. The test results cytotoxic of 2',4-dihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone showed the most active against Hela and WiDr cell lines with IC50 value 12.80, 19.57 µg/mL than T47D cell lines with IC50 value of 20.73 µg/mL. IC50 value indicated that 2',4-dihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone and 2',4',4-trihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone potential as inhibitors in Hela, WiDr and T47D cell lines.

  5. Application of microalgal fucoxanthin for the reduction of colon cancer risk: inhibitory activity of fucoxanthin against beta-glucuronidase and DLD-1 cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Kawee-Ai, Arthitaya; Kim, Sang Moo

    2014-07-01

    Intestinal bacterial beta-glucuronidases are capable of retoxifying compounds that have been detoxified by liver glucuronidation and are also known to accelerate colon cancer invasion and metastasis. In this study, fucoxanthin extracted from the microalga Phaeodactylum tricornutum was investigated for its inhibitory activity against Escherichia coli beta-glucuronidase and DLD-1 cancer cells. Fucoxanthin inhibited beta-glucuronidase in a concentration-dependent manner with an IC50 value of 2.32 mM and a mixed inhibition type. Fucoxanthin had more potent inhibitory activity on beta-glucuronidase at 37 degrees C and in alkaline conditions. Fucoxanthin also inhibited the beta-glucuronidase activity of DLD-1 cancer cells at a concentration of 20-50 microM. The presence of beta-glucuronidase and substrate in the medium decreased the inhibitory activity of fucoxanthin against DLD-1 cancer cells. Therefore, microalgal fucoxanthin might prevent colon cancer because of its strong beta-glucuronidase inhibitory activity and could be utilized as a novel functional ingredient of food and pharmaceutical supplements.

  6. Tangeretin inhibits the proliferation of human breast cancer cells via CYP1A1/CYP1B1 enzyme induction and CYP1A1/CYP1B1-mediated metabolism to the product 4' hydroxy tangeretin.

    PubMed

    Surichan, Somchaiya; Arroo, Randolph R; Tsatsakis, Aristidis M; Androutsopoulos, Vasilis P

    2018-04-04

    Tangeretin is a polymethoxylated flavone with multifaceted anticancer activity. In the present study, the metabolism of tangeretin was evaluated in the CYP1 expressing human breast cancer cell lines MCF7 and MDA-MB-468 and in the normal breast cell line MCF10A. Tangeretin was converted to 4' OH tangeretin by recombinant CYP1 enzymes and by CYP1 enzymes expressed in MCF7 and MDA-MB-468 cells. This metabolite was absent in MCF10A cells that did not express CYP1 enzymes. Tangeretin exhibited submicromolar IC50 (0.25 ± 0.15 μM) in MDA-MB-468 cells, whereas it was less active in MCF7 cells (39.3 ± 1.5 μM) and completely inactive in MCF10A cells (>100 μM). In MDA-MB-468 cells that were coincubated with the CYP1 inhibitor acacetin, an approximately 70-fold increase was noted in the IC50 (18 ± 1.6 μM) of tangeretin. In the presence of the CYP1 inhibitor acacetin, the conversion of tangeretin to 4' OH tangeretin was significantly reduced in MDA-MB-468 cells (2.55 ± 0.19 μM vs. 6.33 ± 0.12 μM). The mechanism of antiproliferative action involved cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase for MCF7 and MDA-MB-468 cells. Tangeretin was further shown to induce CYP1 enzyme activity and CYP1A1/CYP1B1 protein expression in MCF7 and MDA-MB-468 cells. These results suggest that tangeretin inhibits the proliferation of breast cancer cells via CYP1A1/CYP1B1-mediated metabolism to the product 4' hydroxy tangeretin. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Suppression of rat and human androgen biosynthetic enzymes by apigenin: Possible use for the treatment of prostate cancer.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xiudi; Wang, Guimin; Li, Xiaoheng; Liu, Jianpeng; Hong, Tingting; Zhu, Qiqi; Huang, Ping; Ge, Ren-Shan

    2016-06-01

    Apigenin is a natural flavone. It has recently been used as a chemopreventive agent. It may also have some beneficial effects to treat prostate cancer by inhibiting androgen production. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of apigenin on the steroidogenesis of rat immature Leydig cells and some human testosterone biosynthetic enzyme activities. Rat immature Leydig cells were incubated for 3h with 100μM apigenin without (basal) or with 1ng/ml luteinizing hormone (LH), 10mM 8-bromoadenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8BR), and 20μM of the following steroid substrates: 22R-hydroxychloesterol (22R), pregnenolone (P5), progesterone (P4), and androstenedione (D4). The medium levels of 5α-androstane-3α, 17β-diol (DIOL), the primary androgen produced by rat immature Leydig cells, were measured. Apigenin significantly inhibited basal, 8BR, 22R, PREG, P4, and D4 stimulated DIOL production in rat immature Leydig cells. Further study showed that apigenin inhibited rat 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, 17α-hydroxylase/17, 20-lyase, and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 3 with IC50 values of 11.41±0.7, 8.98±0.10, and 9.37±0.07μM, respectively. Apigenin inhibited human 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 3 with IC50 values of 2.17±0.04 and 1.31±0.09μM, respectively. Apigenin is a potent inhibitor of rat and human steroidogenic enzymes, being possible use for the treatment of prostate cancer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Withaferin-A induces apoptosis in osteosarcoma U2OS cell line via generation of ROS and disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential.

    PubMed

    Li, A-X; Sun, M; Li, X

    2017-03-01

    Withaferin-A (WF-A) is a well-known dietary compound isolated from Withania somnifera. It has marked pharmacological potential and has been shown to exhibit antiproliferative activity against several types of cancerous cells. Currently, the main focus of anti-cancer therapeutic development is to identify apoptosis-inducing drug-like molecules. Osteosarcoma is a rare type of bone cancer affecting humans. The objective of the present study was therefore to evaluate the antitumor potential of WF-A against several osteosarcoma cell lines. MTT assay was used to evaluate WF-A against osteosarcoma cell lines and to calculate the IC50. DAPI staining was used to confirm the apoptosis-inducing potential of WF-A. Mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay, and Western blotting were used to confirm the basis of apoptosis. The results of the present study revealed that WF-A exhibited strong antiproliferative activity against all the cells lines, with IC50 ranging from 0.32 to 7.6 µM. The lowest IC50 (0.32 µM) was observed against U2OS cell line and, therefore, it was selected for further analysis. DAPI staining indicated that WF-A exhibited antiproliferative activity via induction of apoptosis. Moreover, WF-A induced a ROS-mediated reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential in a dose-dependent manner and activation of caspase-3 in osteosarcoma cells. We suggest that WF-A may prove a potent therapeutic agent for inducing apoptosis in osteosarcoma cell lines via generation of ROS and disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential.

  9. A novel transferrin receptor-targeted hybrid peptide disintegrates cancer cell membrane to induce rapid killing of cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Transferrin receptor (TfR) is a cell membrane-associated glycoprotein involved in the cellular uptake of iron and the regulation of cell growth. Recent studies have shown the elevated expression levels of TfR on cancer cells compared with normal cells. The elevated expression levels of this receptor in malignancies, which is the accessible extracellular protein, can be a fascinating target for the treatment of cancer. We have recently designed novel type of immunotoxin, termed "hybrid peptide", which is chemically synthesized and is composed of target-binding peptide and lytic peptide containing cationic-rich amino acids components that disintegrates the cell membrane for the cancer cell killing. The lytic peptide is newly designed to induce rapid killing of cancer cells due to conformational change. In this study, we designed TfR binding peptide connected with this novel lytic peptide and assessed the cytotoxic activity in vitro and in vivo. Methods In vitro: We assessed the cytotoxicity of TfR-lytic hybrid peptide for 12 cancer and 2 normal cell lines. The specificity for TfR is demonstrated by competitive assay using TfR antibody and siRNA. In addition, we performed analysis of confocal fluorescence microscopy and apoptosis assay by Annexin-V binding, caspase activity, and JC-1 staining to assess the change in mitochondria membrane potential. In vivo: TfR-lytic was administered intravenously in an athymic mice model with MDA-MB-231 cells. After three weeks tumor sections were histologically analyzed. Results The TfR-lytic hybrid peptide showed cytotoxic activity in 12 cancer cell lines, with IC50 values as low as 4.0-9.3 μM. Normal cells were less sensitive to this molecule, with IC50 values > 50 μM. Competition assay using TfR antibody and knockdown of this receptor by siRNA confirmed the specificity of the TfR-lytic hybrid peptide. In addition, it was revealed that this molecule can disintegrate the cell membrane of T47D cancer cells just in 10 min, to effectively kill these cells and induce approximately 80% apoptotic cell death but not in normal cells. The intravenous administration of TfR-lytic peptide in the athymic mice model significantly inhibited tumor progression. Conclusions TfR-lytic peptide might provide a potent and selective anticancer therapy for patients. PMID:21849092

  10. AMR-Me inhibits PI3K/Akt signaling in hormone-dependent MCF-7 breast cancer cells and inactivates NF-κB in hormone-independent MDA-MB-231 cells.

    PubMed

    Rabi, Thangaiyan; Huwiler, Andrea; Zangemeister-Wittke, Uwe

    2014-07-01

    AMR-Me, a C-28 methylester derivative of triterpenoid compound Amooranin isolated from Amoora rohituka stem bark and the plant has been reported to possess multitude of medicinal properties. Our previous studies have shown that AMR-Me can induce apoptosis through mitochondrial apoptotic and MAPK signaling pathways by regulating the expression of apoptosis related genes in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells. However, the molecular mechanism of AMR-Me induced apoptotic cell death remains unclear. Our results showed that AMR-Me dose-dependently inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells under serum-free conditions supplemented with 1 nM estrogen (E2) with an IC50 value of 0.15 µM, 0.45 µM, respectively. AMR-Me had minimal effects on human normal breast epithelial MCF-10A + ras and MCF-10A cells with IC50 value of 6 and 6.5 µM, respectively. AMR-Me downregulated PI3K p85, Akt1, and p-Akt in an ERα-independent manner in MCF-7 cells and no change in expression levels of PI3K p85 and Akt were observed in MDA-MB-231 cells treated under similar conditions. The PI3K inhibitor LY294002 suppressed Akt activation similar to AMR-Me and potentiated AMR-Me induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. EMSA revealed that AMR-Me inhibited nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) DNA binding activity in MDA-MB-231 cells in a time-dependent manner and abrogated EGF induced NF-κB activation. From these studies we conclude that AMR-Me decreased ERα expression and effectively inhibited Akt phosphorylation in MCF-7 cells and inactivate constitutive nuclear NF-κB and its regulated proteins in MDA-MB-231 cells. Due to this multifactorial effect in hormone-dependent and independent breast cancer cells AMR-Me deserves attention for use in breast cancer prevention and therapy. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Identification of novel inhibitors of human Chk1 using pharmacophore-based virtual screening and their evaluation as potential anti-cancer agents

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumar, Vikash; Khan, Saman; Gupta, Priyanka; Rastogi, Namrata; Mishra, Durga Prasad; Ahmed, Shakil; Siddiqi, Mohammad Imran

    2014-12-01

    Kinases are one of the major players in cancer development and progression. Serine threonine kinases such as human checkpoint kinase-1 (Chk1), Mek1 and cyclin-dependent kinases have been identified as promising targets for cancer treatment. Chk1 is an important kinase with vital role in cell cycle arrest and many potent inhibitors targeted to Chk1 have been reported and few are currently in clinical trials. Considering the emerging importance of Chk1 inhibitors in cancer treatment there is a need to widen the chemical space of Chk1 inhibitors. In this study, we are reporting an integrated in silico approach to identify novel competitive Chk1 inhibitors. A 4-features pharmacophore model was derived from a co-crystallized structure of known potent Chk1 inhibitor and subjected to screen Maybridge compound library. Hits obtained from the screening were docked into the Chk1 active site and filtered on the basis of docking score and the number of pharmacophoric features showing conserved interaction within the active site of Chk1. Further, five compounds from the top ranking hits were subjected to in vitro evaluation as Chk1 inhibitor. After the kinase assay, four compounds were found to be active against human Chk1 (IC50 range from 4.2 to 12.5 µM). Subsequent study using the cdc25-22 mutant yeast cells revealed that one of compound (SPB07479; IC50 = 4.24 µM) promoted the formation of multinucleated cells, therefore overriding the cell cycle checkpoint. Validation studies using normal and human cancer cell lines, indicated that SPB07479 significantly inhibited proliferation of cervical cancer cells as a single agent and chemosensitized glioma and pancreatic cancer cell lines to standard chemotherapy while sparing normal cells. Additionally SPB07479 did not show significant cytotoxicity in normal cells. In conclusion we report that SPB07479 appear promising for further development of Chk1 inhibitors. This study also highlights the role of conserved water molecules in the active site of Chk1 for the successful identification of novel inhibitors.

  12. Cytokinetic study of MCF-7 cells treated with commercial and recombinant bromelain.

    PubMed

    Fouz, Nour; Amid, Azura; Hashim, Yumi Zuhanis Has-Yun

    2014-01-01

    Breast cancer is a leading cause of death in women. The available chemotherapy drugs have been associated with many side effects. Bromelain has novel medicinal qualities including anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, fibrinolytic and anti-cancer functions. Commercially available bromelain is obtained through tedious methods; therefore, recombinant bromelain may provide a cheaper and simpler choice with similar quality. This study aimed to assess the effects of commercial and recombinant bromelain on the cytokinetic behavior of MCF-7 breast cancer cells and their potential as therapeutic alternatives in cancer treatment. Cytotoxic activities of commercial and recombinant bromelain were determined using (sulforhodamine) SRB assay. Next, cell viability assays were conducted to determine effects of commercial and recombinant bromelain on MCF-7 cell cytokinetic behavior. Finally, the established growth kinetic data were used to modify a model that predicts the effects of commercial and recombinant bromelain on MCF-7 cells. Commercial and recombinant bromelain exerted strong effects towards decreasing the cell viability of MCF-7 cells with IC50 values of 5.13 μg/mL and 6.25 μg/mL, respectively, compared to taxol with an IC50 value of 0.063 μg/mL. The present results indicate that commercial and recombinant bromelain both have anti-proliferative activity, reduced the number of cell generations from 3.92 to 2.81 for commercial bromelain and to 2.86 for recombinant bromelain, while with taxol reduction was to 3.12. Microscopic observation of bromelain-treated MCF-7 cells demonstrated detachment. Inhibition activity was verified with growth rates decreased dynamically from 0.009 h-1 to 0.0059 h-1 for commercial bromelain and to 0.0063 h-1 for recombinant bromelain. Commercial and recombinant bromelain both affect cytokinetics of MCF-7 cells by decreasing cell viability, demonstrating similar strength to taxol.

  13. Triptolide inhibits cell growth and GRP78 protein expression but induces cell apoptosis in original and radioresistant NPC cells

    PubMed Central

    Lv, Wuwu; Lai, Chen; Chen, Zhikang; Wang, Ran; Long, Xueying; Feng, Xueping

    2016-01-01

    The radioresistance is the key factor to hamper curative effect and survival of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. Nature triptolide (TPL) has been found to circumvent drug-resistant effect of cancer, but its effect on NPC radioresistance has been rarely studied. In the present study, the 10 Gy-resistant CNE2 subclones (CNE2-SR) were used as a NPC radioresistant model. The IC50 of TPL in CNE2 and CNE2-SR cells was measured by MTT assay, cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry, and protein expression was examined by western blot. Our data showed that TPL treatment decreased the percentage of viable cells, and IC50 value in CNE2 and CNE2-SR cells was 23.6 ± 1.41 nmol/L and 31.2 ± 1.16 nmol/L, respectively. Six Gy was a moderate dosage of X-ray for CNE2, and 25 nM TPL was close to IC50 value of CNE2 and CNE2-SR. Six Gy X-ray and/or 25 nM TPL significantly inhibited tumor growth in nude mice. Furthermore, 6 Gy X-ray and/or 25 nM TPL significantly inhibited cell growth and induced cell apoptosis and M/G2 phase arrest in CNE2 and CNE2-SR cells. Moreover, TPL treatment significantly inhibited the expression of GRP78 protein in CNE2 and CNE2-SR cells. These results suggest that TPL may serve as a potential radiosensitizer agent for NPC treatment. PMID:27391061

  14. Dual pharmacological inhibition of glutathione and thioredoxin systems synergizes to kill colorectal carcinoma stem cells.

    PubMed

    Tanaka, Genki; Inoue, Ken-Ichi; Shimizu, Takayuki; Akimoto, Kazumi; Kubota, Keiichi

    2016-09-01

    NRF2 stabilizes redox potential through genes for glutathione and thioredoxin antioxidant systems. Whether blockade of glutathione and thioredoxin is useful in eliminating cancer stem cells remain unknown. We used xenografts derived from colorectal carcinoma patients to investigate the pharmacological inhibition of glutathione and thioredoxin systems. Higher expression of five glutathione S-transferase isoforms (GSTA1, A2, M4, O2, and P1) was observed in xenograft-derived spheroids than in fibroblasts. Piperlongumine (2.5-10 μmol/L) and auranofin (0.25-4 μmol/L) were used to inhibit glutathione S-transferase π and thioredoxin reductase, respectively. Piperlongumine or auranofin alone up-regulated the expression of NRF2 target genes, but not TP53 targets. While piperlongumine showed modest cancer-specific cell killing (IC50 difference between cancer spheroids and fibroblasts: P = 0.052), auranofin appeared more toxic to fibroblasts (IC50 difference between cancer spheroids and fibroblasts: P = 0.002). The synergism of dual inhibition was evaluated by determining the Combination Index, based on the number of surviving cells with combination treatments. Molar ratios indicated synergism in cancer spheroids, but not in fibroblasts: (auranofin:piperlongumine) = 2:5, 1:5, 1:10, and 1:20. Cancer-specific cell killing was achieved at the following drug concentrations (auranofin:piperlongumine): 0.25:2.5 μmol/L, 0.5:2.5 μmol/L, or 0.25:5 μmol/L. The dual inhibition successfully decreased CD44v9 surface presentation and delayed tumor emergence in nude mouse. However, a small subpopulation persistently survived and accumulated phosphorylated histone H2A. Such "persisters" still retained lesser but significant tumorigenicity. Thus, dual inhibition of glutathione S-transferase π and thioredoxin reductase could be a feasible option for decreasing the tumor mass and CD44v9-positive fraction by disrupting redox regulation. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Encapsulation of docetaxel into PEGylated gold nanoparticles for vectorization to cancer cells.

    PubMed

    François, Alison; Laroche, Audrey; Pinaud, Noël; Salmon, Lionel; Ruiz, Jaime; Robert, Jacques; Astruc, Didier

    2011-11-04

    Encapsulation of docetaxel and its solubilization in water was carried out in PEGylated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as shown by 1H NMR (600 MHz) and UV/Vis spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering. Vectorization of PEGylated AuNP-encapsulated docetaxel was probed in vitro toward human colon carcinoma (HCT15) and human breast cancer (MCF7) cells. AuNPs alone presented no cytotoxicity toward either MCF7 or HCT15 adenocarcinoma cells. AuNP-docetaxel was found to be 2.5-fold more efficient than docetaxel alone against MCF7 cells, and the IC50 value of AuNP-docetaxel against HCT15 cells was lower than that of free docetaxel; the increased efficiency brought about by AuNP drug encapsulation was ∼1.5-fold. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. Prognostic significance of XRCC4 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Xiao-Ying; Yao, Jin-Guang; Wang, Chao; Wei, Zhong-Hong; Ma, Yun; Wu, Xue-Min; Luo, Chun-Ying; Xia, Qiang; Long, Xi-Dai

    2017-01-01

    Background Our previous investigations have shown that the variants of X-ray repair complementing 4 (XRCC4) may be involved in hepatocellular carcinoma (hepatocarcinoma) tumorigenesis. This study aimed to investigate the possible prognostic significance of XRCC4 expression for hepatocarcinoma patients and possible value for the selection of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) treatment. Materials and Methods We conducted a hospital-based retrospective analysis (including 421 hepatocarcinoma cases) to analyze the effects of XRCC4 on hepatocarcinoma prognosis and TACE. The levels of XRCC4 expression were tested using immunohistochemistry. The sensitivity of cancer cells to anti-cancer drug doxorubicin was evaluated using the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50). Results XRCC4 expression was significantly correlated with pathological features including tumor stage, liver cirrhosis, and micro-vessel density. XRCC4 expression was an independent prognostic factor of hepatocarcinoma, and TACE treatments had no effects on prognosis of hepatocarcinoma patients with high XRCC4 expression. More intriguingly, TACE improved the prognosis of hepatocarcinoma patients with low XRCC4 expression. Functionally, XRCC4 overexpression increased while XRCC4 knockdown reduced the IC50 of cancer cells to doxorubicin. Conclusions These results suggest that XRCC4 may be an independent prognostic factor for hepatocarcinoma patients, and that decreasing XRCC4 expression may be beneficial for post-operative adjuvant TACE treatment in hepatocarcinoma. PMID:29152133

  17. Cytotoxic and HIV-1 enzyme inhibitory activities of Red Sea marine organisms

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Cancer and HIV/AIDS are two of the greatest public health and humanitarian challenges facing the world today. Infection with HIV not only weakens the immune system leading to AIDS and increasing the risk of opportunistic infections, but also increases the risk of several types of cancer. The enormous biodiversity of marine habitats is mirrored by the molecular diversity of secondary metabolites found in marine animals, plants and microbes which is why this work was designed to assess the anti-HIV and cytotoxic activities of some marine organisms of the Red Sea. Methods The lipophilic fractions of methanolic extracts of thirteen marine organisms collected from the Red Sea (Egypt) were screened for cytotoxicity against two human cancer cell lines; leukaemia (U937) and cervical cancer (HeLa) cells. African green monkey kidney cells (Vero) were used as normal non-malignant control cells. The extracts were also tested for their inhibitory activity against HIV-1 enzymes, reverse transcriptase (RT) and protease (PR). Results Cytotoxicity results showed strong activity of the Cnidarian Litophyton arboreum against U-937 (IC50; 6.5 μg/ml ±2.3) with a selectivity index (SI) of 6.45, while the Cnidarian Sarcophyton trochliophorum showed strong activity against HeLa cells (IC50; 5.2 μg/ml ±1.2) with an SI of 2.09. Other species showed moderate to weak cytotoxicity against both cell lines. Two extracts showed potent inhibitory activity against HIV-1 protease; these were the Cnidarian jelly fish Cassiopia andromeda (IC50; 0.84 μg/ml ±0.05) and the red algae Galaxura filamentosa (2.6 μg/ml ±1.29). It is interesting to note that the most active extracts against HIV-1 PR, C. andromeda and G. filamentosa showed no cytotoxicity in the three cell lines at the highest concentration tested (100 μg/ml). Conclusion The strong cytotoxicity of the soft corals L. arboreum and S. trochliophorum as well as the anti-PR activity of the jelly fish C. andromeda and the red algae G. filamentosa suggests the medicinal potential of crude extracts of these marine organisms. PMID:24568567

  18. Cytotoxic and HIV-1 enzyme inhibitory activities of Red Sea marine organisms.

    PubMed

    Ellithey, Mona S; Lall, Namrita; Hussein, Ahmed A; Meyer, Debra

    2014-02-25

    Cancer and HIV/AIDS are two of the greatest public health and humanitarian challenges facing the world today. Infection with HIV not only weakens the immune system leading to AIDS and increasing the risk of opportunistic infections, but also increases the risk of several types of cancer. The enormous biodiversity of marine habitats is mirrored by the molecular diversity of secondary metabolites found in marine animals, plants and microbes which is why this work was designed to assess the anti-HIV and cytotoxic activities of some marine organisms of the Red Sea. The lipophilic fractions of methanolic extracts of thirteen marine organisms collected from the Red Sea (Egypt) were screened for cytotoxicity against two human cancer cell lines; leukaemia (U937) and cervical cancer (HeLa) cells. African green monkey kidney cells (Vero) were used as normal non-malignant control cells. The extracts were also tested for their inhibitory activity against HIV-1 enzymes, reverse transcriptase (RT) and protease (PR). Cytotoxicity results showed strong activity of the Cnidarian Litophyton arboreum against U-937 (IC50; 6.5 μg/ml ±2.3) with a selectivity index (SI) of 6.45, while the Cnidarian Sarcophyton trochliophorum showed strong activity against HeLa cells (IC50; 5.2 μg/ml ±1.2) with an SI of 2.09. Other species showed moderate to weak cytotoxicity against both cell lines. Two extracts showed potent inhibitory activity against HIV-1 protease; these were the Cnidarian jelly fish Cassiopia andromeda (IC50; 0.84 μg/ml ±0.05) and the red algae Galaxura filamentosa (2.6 μg/ml ±1.29). It is interesting to note that the most active extracts against HIV-1 PR, C. andromeda and G. filamentosa showed no cytotoxicity in the three cell lines at the highest concentration tested (100 μg/ml). The strong cytotoxicity of the soft corals L. arboreum and S. trochliophorum as well as the anti-PR activity of the jelly fish C. andromeda and the red algae G. filamentosa suggests the medicinal potential of crude extracts of these marine organisms.

  19. Oxadiazole-isopropylamides as Potent and Non-covalent Proteasome Inhibitors

    PubMed Central

    Ozcan, Sevil; Kazi, Aslamuzzaman; Marsilio, Frank; Fang, Bin; Guida, Wayne C.; Koomen, John; Lawrence, Harshani R.; Sebti, Saïd M.

    2013-01-01

    Screening of the 50,000 ChemBridge compound library led to the identification of the oxadiazole-isopropylamide 1 (PI-1833) which inhibited CT-L activity (IC50 0.60 μM) with little effects on the other 2 major proteasome proteolytic activities, T-L and PGPH-L. LC/MS-MS and dialysis show that 1 is a non-covalent and rapidly reversible CT-L inhibitor. Focused library synthesis provided 11ad (PI-1840) with CT-L activity (IC50 27 nM). Detailed SAR studies indicate that the amide moiety and the 2 phenyl rings are sensitive toward modifications. Hydrophobic residues, such as propyl or butyl, in the para-position (not ortho or meta) of the A-ring and a meta-pyridyl group as B-ring significantly improve activity. Compound 11ad (IC50 0.37 μM) is more potent than 1 (IC50 3.5 μM) at inhibiting CT-L activity in intact MDA-MB-468 human breast cancer cells and inhibiting their survival. The activity of 11ad warrants further pre-clinical investigation of this class as non-covalent proteasome inhibitors. PMID:23547706

  20. Rational Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Third Generation α-Noscapine Analogues as Potent Tubulin Binding Anti-Cancer Agents

    PubMed Central

    Manchukonda, Naresh Kumar; Naik, Pradeep Kumar; Santoshi, Seneha; Lopus, Manu; Joseph, Silja; Sridhar, Balasubramanian; Kantevari, Srinivas

    2013-01-01

    Systematic screening based on structural similarity of drugs such as colchicine and podophyllotoxin led to identification of noscapine, a microtubule-targeted agent that attenuates the dynamic instability of microtubules without affecting the total polymer mass of microtubules. We report a new generation of noscapine derivatives as potential tubulin binding anti-cancer agents. Molecular modeling experiments of these derivatives 5a, 6a-j yielded better docking score (-7.252 to -5.402 kCal/mol) than the parent compound, noscapine (-5.505 kCal/mol) and its existing derivatives (-5.563 to -6.412 kCal/mol). Free energy (ΔG bind) calculations based on the linear interaction energy (LIE) empirical equation utilizing Surface Generalized Born (SGB) continuum solvent model predicted the tubulin-binding affinities for the derivatives 5a, 6a-j (ranging from -4.923 to -6.189 kCal/mol). Compound 6f showed highest binding affinity to tubulin (-6.189 kCal/mol). The experimental evaluation of these compounds corroborated with theoretical studies. N-(3-brormobenzyl) noscapine (6f) binds tubulin with highest binding affinity (KD, 38 ± 4.0 µM), which is ~ 4.0 times higher than that of the parent compound, noscapine (KD, 144 ± 1.0 µM) and is also more potent than that of the first generation clinical candidate EM011, 9-bromonoscapine (KD, 54 ± 9.1 µM). All these compounds exhibited substantial cytotoxicity toward cancer cells, with IC50 values ranging from 6.7 µM to 72.9 µM; compound 6f showed prominent anti-cancer efficacy with IC50 values ranging from 6.7 µM to 26.9 µM in cancer cells of different tissues of origin. These compounds perturbed DNA synthesis, delayed the cell cycle progression at G2/M phase, and induced apoptotic cell death in cancer cells. Collectively, the study reported here identified potent, third generation noscapinoids as new anti-cancer agents. PMID:24205049

  1. Antiproliferative activity of king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) venom L-amino acid oxidase.

    PubMed

    Li Lee, Mui; Chung, Ivy; Yee Fung, Shin; Kanthimathi, M S; Hong Tan, Nget

    2014-04-01

    King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) venom L-amino acid oxidase (LAAO), a heat-stable enzyme, is an extremely potent antiproliferative agent against cancer cells when compared with LAAO isolated from other snake venoms. King cobra venom LAAO was shown to exhibit very strong antiproliferative activities against MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma) and A549 (human lung adenocarcinoma) cells, with an IC50 value of 0.04±0.00 and 0.05±0.00 μg/mL, respectively, after 72-hr treatment. In comparison, its cytotoxicity was about 3-4 times lower when tested against human non-tumourigenic breast (184B5) and lung (NL 20) cells, suggesting selective antitumour activity. Furthermore, its potency in MCF-7 and A549 cell lines was greater than the effects of doxorubicin, a clinically established cancer chemotherapeutic agent, which showed an IC50 value of 0.18±0.03 and 0.63±0.21 μg/mL, respectively, against the two cell lines. The selective cytotoxic action of the LAAO was confirmed by phycoerythrin (PE) annexin V/7-amino-actinomycin (AAD) apoptotic assay, in which a significant increase in apoptotic cells was observed in LAAO-treated tumour cells than in their non-tumourigenic counterparts. The ability of LAAO to induce apoptosis in tumour cells was further demonstrated using caspase-3/7 and DNA fragmentation assays. We also determined that this enzyme may target oxidative stress in its killing of tumour cells, as its cytotoxicity was significantly reduced in the presence of catalase (a H2O2 scavenger). In view of its heat stability and selective and potent cytotoxic action on cancer cells, king cobra venom LAAO can be potentially developed for treating solid tumours. © 2013 Nordic Association for the Publication of BCPT (former Nordic Pharmacological Society).

  2. Momordica charantia Extract Induces Apoptosis in Human Cancer Cells through Caspase- and Mitochondria-Dependent Pathways

    PubMed Central

    Li, Chia-Jung; Tsang, Shih-Fang; Tsai, Chun-Hao; Tsai, Hsin-Yi; Chyuan, Jong-Ho; Hsu, Hsue-Yin

    2012-01-01

    Plants are an invaluable source of potential new anti-cancer drugs. Momordica charantia is one of these plants with both edible and medical value and reported to exhibit anticancer activity. To explore the potential effectiveness of Momordica charantia, methanol extract of Momordica charantia (MCME) was used to evaluate the cytotoxic activity on four human cancer cell lines, Hone-1 nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells, AGS gastric adenocarcinoma cells, HCT-116 colorectal carcinoma cells, and CL1-0 lung adenocarcinoma cells, in this study. MCME showed cytotoxic activity towards all cancer cells tested, with the approximate IC50 ranging from 0.25 to 0.35 mg/mL at 24 h. MCME induced cell death was found to be time-dependent in these cells. Apoptosis was demonstrated by DAPI staining and DNA fragmentation analysis using agarose gel electrophoresis. MCME activated caspase-3 and enhanced the cleavage of downstream DFF45 and PARP, subsequently leading to DNA fragmentation and nuclear condensation. The apoptogenic protein, Bax, was increased, whereas Bcl-2 was decreased after treating for 24 h in all cancer cells, indicating the involvement of mitochondrial pathway in MCME-induced cell death. These findings indicate that MCME has cytotoxic effects on human cancer cells and exhibits promising anti-cancer activity by triggering apoptosis through the regulation of caspases and mitochondria. PMID:23091557

  3. Characterization of the efficacies of osimertinib and nazartinib against cells expressing clinically relevant epidermal growth factor receptor mutations

    PubMed Central

    Masuzawa, Keita; Yasuda, Hiroyuki; Hamamoto, Junko; Nukaga, Shigenari; Hirano, Toshiyuki; Kawada, Ichiro; Naoki, Katsuhiko; Soejima, Kenzo; Betsuyaku, Tomoko

    2017-01-01

    Third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) were developed to overcome EGFR T790M-mediated resistance to first- and second-generation EGFR-TKIs. Third-generation EGFR-TKIs, such as osimertinib and nazartinib, are effective for patients with the EGFR T790M mutation. However, there are no direct comparison data to guide the selection of a third-generation EGFR-TKI for patients with different EGFR mutations. We previously established an in vitro model to estimate the therapeutic windows of EGFR-TKIs by comparing their relative efficacies against cells expressing mutant or wild type EGFRs. The present study used this approach to characterize the efficacy of third-generation EGFR-TKIs and compare them with that of other EGFR-TKIs. Treatment efficacy was examined using human lung cancer-derived cell lines and Ba/F3 cells, which were transduced with clinically relevant mutant EGFRs. Interestingly, mutation-related differences in EGFR-TKI sensitivity were observed. For classic EGFR mutations (exon 19 deletion and L858R, with or without T790M), osimertinib showed lower IC50 values and wider therapeutic windows than nazartinib. For less common EGFR mutations (G719S or L861Q), afatinib showed the lowest IC50 values. For G719S+T790M or L861Q+T790M, the IC50 values of osimertinib and nazartinib were around 100 nM, which was 10- to 100-fold higher than those for classic+T790M mutations. On the contrary, osimertinib and nazartinib showed similar efficacies in cells expressing EGFR exon 20 insertions. The findings highlight the diverse mutation-related sensitivity pattern of EGFR-TKIs. These data may help in the selection of EGFR-TKIs for non-small cell lung cancer patients harboring EGFR mutations. PMID:29285266

  4. Anticancer, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities of low molecular weight bioactive subfractions isolated from cultures of wood degrading fungus Cerrena unicolor

    PubMed Central

    Jaszek, Magdalena; Stefaniuk, Dawid; Ciszewski, Tomasz; Matuszewski, Łukasz

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study is to investigate in vitro the anticancer, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities of three low molecular weight subfractions I, II and III isolated from secondary metabolites produced by the wood degrading fungus Cerrena unicolor. The present study demonstrated that the low molecular weight subfractions III exhibited the strongest inhibitory activity towards breast carcinoma cells MDA-MB-231, prostatic carcinoma cells PC3, and breast cancer cells MCF7 with the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 52,25 μg/mL, 60,66 μg/mL, and 54,92 μg/mL, respectively. The highest percentage of inhibition was noted at a concentration of 300 μg/mL in all the examined tumor lines. A significant percentage (59.08%) of ex-LMSIII inhibition of the MDA-MB-231 tumor line was reached at a concentration of 15 μg/ml, while the concentration applied did not affect normal human fibroblast cells. The low molecular weight subfraction III was the most effective and additionally showed the highest free radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl scavenging activity (IC50 20.39 μg/mL) followed by the low molecular weight subfraction I (IC50 64.14 μg/mL) and II (IC50 49.22 μg/mL). The antibacterial activity of the tested preparations was evaluated against three microorganisms: Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. The MIC minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for the low molecular weight subfraction I, II, and III showed a stronger inhibition effect on S. aureus than on B. subtilis and E. coli cells. The MIC values for the low molecular weight subfraction II against S. aureus, B. subtilis, and E. coli were 6.25, 12.5, and 100 mg/mL, respectively. PMID:29874240

  5. Evaluation of the Cytotoxic Effect of the Brittle Star (Ophiocoma Erinaceus) Dichloromethane Extract and Doxorubicin on EL4 Cell Line

    PubMed Central

    Afzali, Mahbubeh; Baharara, Javad; Nezhad Shahrokhabadi, Khadijeh; Amini, Elaheh

    2017-01-01

    Leukemia is a blood disease that creates from inhibition of differentiation and increased proliferation rate. The nature has been known as a rich source of medically useful substances. High diversity of bioactive molecules, extracted from marine invertebrates, makes them as ideal candidates for cancer research. The study has been done to investigate cytotoxic effects of dichloromethane brittle star extract and doxorubicin on EL4 cancer cells. Blood cancer EL4 cells were cultured and treated at different concentrations of brittle star (Ophiocoma erinaceus) dichloromethane extract at 24, 48 and 72 h. Cell toxicity was studied using MTT assay. Cell morphology was examined using an invert microscope. Further, apoptosis was examined using Annexin V-FITC, propodium iodide, DAPI, and Acridine orange/propodium iodide staining. Eventually, the apoptosis pathways were analyzed using measurement of Caspase-3 and -9 activity. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS, ANOVA software, and Tukey’s test. P<0.05 was considered to be significant. MTT assay and morphological observations showed that dichloromethane extract can inhibit cell growth in a dose dependent. The results considered 32 µg/mL of the extract as IC50. Also, doxorubicin suppressed EL4 proliferation as IC50=32 µg/mL. All experiments related to apoptosis analysis confirmed that dichloromethane brittle star extract and doxorubicin have a cytotoxic effect on EL4 cells inIC50 concentration. The study showed that dichloromethane brittle star extract is as an adjunct to doxorubicin in treatment of leukemia cells. PMID:29844793

  6. Antiproliferative Activity of Xanthones Isolated from Artocarpus obtusus

    PubMed Central

    Hashim, Najihah Mohd; Rahmani, Mawardi; Ee, Gwendoline Cheng Lian; Sukari, Mohd Aspollah; Yahayu, Maizatulakmal; Oktima, Winda; Ali, Abd Manaf; Go, Rusea

    2012-01-01

    An investigation of the chemical constituents in Artocarpus obtusus species led to the isolation of three new xanthones, pyranocycloartobiloxanthone A (1), dihydroartoindonesianin C (2), and pyranocycloartobiloxanthone B (3). The compounds were subjected to antiproliferative assay against human promyelocytic leukemia (HL60), human chronic myeloid leukemia (K562), and human estrogen receptor (ER+) positive breast cancer (MCF7) cell lines. Pyranocycloartobiloxanthone A (1) consistently showed strong cytotoxic activity against the three cell lines compared to the other two with IC50 values of 0.5, 2.0 and 5.0 μg/mL, respectively. Compound (1) was also observed to exert antiproliferative activity and apoptotic promoter towards HL60 and MCF7 cell lines at respective IC50 values. The compound (1) was not toxic towards normal cell lines human nontumorigenic breast cell line (MCF10A) and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with IC50 values of more than 30 μg/mL. PMID:21960741

  7. Lignans from Carthamus tinctorius suppress tryptophan breakdown via indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase

    PubMed Central

    Kuehnl, Susanne; Schroecksnadel, Sebastian; Temml, Veronika; Gostner, Johanna M.; Schennach, Harald; Schuster, Daniela; Schwaiger, Stefan; Rollinger, Judith M.; Fuchs, Dietmar; Stuppner, Hermann

    2013-01-01

    Seed extracts of Carthamus tinctorius L. (Asteraceae), safflower, have been traditionally used to treat coronary disease, thrombotic disorders, and menstrual problems but also against cancer and depression. A possible effect of C. tinctorius compounds on tryptophan-degrading activity of enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) could explain many of its activities. To test for an effect of C. tinctorius extracts and isolated compounds on cytokine-induced IDO activity in immunocompetent cells in vitro methanol and ethylacetate seed extracts were prepared from cold pressed seed cakes of C. tinctorius and three lignan derivatives, trachelogenin, arctigenin and matairesinol were isolated. The influence on tryptophan breakdown was investigated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Effects were compared to neopterin production in the same cellular assay. Both seed extracts suppressed tryptophan breakdown in stimulated PBMC. The three structurally closely related isolates exerted differing suppressive activity on PBMC: arctigenin (IC50 26.5 μM) and trachelogenin (IC50 of 57.4 μM) showed higher activity than matairesinol (IC50 >200 μM) to inhibit tryptophan breakdown. Effects on neopterin production were similar albeit generally less strong. Data show an immunosuppressive property of compounds which slows down IDO activity. The in vitro results support the view that some of the anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and antidepressant properties of C. tinctorius lignans might relate to their suppressive influence on tryptophan breakdown. PMID:23867649

  8. Isothiocyanates from Broccolini seeds induce apoptosis in human colon cancer cells: proteomic and bioinformatic analyses.

    PubMed

    Yang, Yanjing; Yan, Huidan; Li, Yuqin; Yang, Shang-Tian; Zhang, Xuewu

    2011-05-01

    Isothiocyanates (ITCs) have been shown to possess antitumor activity in colon cancer, however, the detailed mechanism is still unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate apoptosis-inducing activity of ITCs from Broccolini seeds and proteomic changes in SW480 cells, and to identify the molecular pathways responsible for the anticancer action of ITCs. We found that ITCs induces SW480 cells apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner by using MTT assay, phase contrast microscope and flow cytometry, and the IC50 was calculated to be 77.72 microg/ml, superior to the chemotherapeutical drug 5-flurouracil. Subsequently, 15 altered proteins in ITCs treated SW480 cells were identified. Further bioinformatics analysis predicted the potential pathways for ITCs to induce apoptosis of SW480 cells. In conclusion, this is the first report to investigate anticancer activity of ITCs from Broccolini seeds and its mechanism of action by proteomics analysis. Our observations provide potential therapeutic targets for colon cancer inhibitor intervention and implicate the development of novel anti-cancer therapeutic strategies.

  9. 5,6-de-epoxy-5-en-7-one-17-hydroxy withaferin A, a new cytotoxic steroid from Withania somnifera L. Dunal leaves.

    PubMed

    Siddique, Amreen A; Joshi, Pallavi; Misra, Laxminarain; Sangwan, Neelam S; Darokar, Mahendra P

    2014-01-01

    From the leaves of Withania somnifera L. Dunal, a new withasteroid named as 5,6-de-epoxy-5-en-7-one-17-hydroxy withaferin A (6) was isolated along with several known compounds, namely 16β-acetoxy-6α,7α-epoxy-5α-hydroxy-1-oxowitha-2,17(20),24-trienolide (1), withanone (2), 16-en-27-deoxy withaferin A (3), 27-deoxy withaferin A (4), withaferin A (5), withanolide D (7) and 27-hydroxy withanone (8). Its structure was determined using spectroscopic methods, namely IR, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, COSY, HMBC and HRMS. Among the known compounds, 16β-acetoxy-6α,7α-epoxy-5α-hydroxy-1-oxowitha-2,17(20),24-trienolide (1) was previously reported from the roots of W. somnifera. Now, it has been isolated from the leaves, as well. The cytotoxic activity of the new steroid was carried out using the MTT assay against a panel of cancer cell lines, namely MCF-7 (breast), WRL-68 (liver), PC-3 (prostate) and CACO-2 (colon). The results showed that the new compound possesses strong cytotoxic activity against liver and breast cancer with an IC50 of 1.0 μg/mL and a moderate activity against colon (IC50 3.4 μg/mL) and prostate (IC50 7.4 μg/mL) cancer cells.

  10. Characterization of the efficacies of osimertinib and nazartinib against cells expressing clinically relevant epidermal growth factor receptor mutations.

    PubMed

    Masuzawa, Keita; Yasuda, Hiroyuki; Hamamoto, Junko; Nukaga, Shigenari; Hirano, Toshiyuki; Kawada, Ichiro; Naoki, Katsuhiko; Soejima, Kenzo; Betsuyaku, Tomoko

    2017-12-01

    Third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) were developed to overcome EGFR T790M-mediated resistance to first- and second-generation EGFR-TKIs. Third-generation EGFR-TKIs, such as osimertinib and nazartinib, are effective for patients with the EGFR T790M mutation. However, there are no direct comparison data to guide the selection of a third-generation EGFR-TKI for patients with different EGFR mutations. We previously established an in vitro model to estimate the therapeutic windows of EGFR-TKIs by comparing their relative efficacies against cells expressing mutant or wild type EGFRs. The present study used this approach to characterize the efficacy of third-generation EGFR-TKIs and compare them with that of other EGFR-TKIs. Treatment efficacy was examined using human lung cancer-derived cell lines and Ba/F3 cells, which were transduced with clinically relevant mutant EGFRs. Interestingly, mutation-related differences in EGFR-TKI sensitivity were observed. For classic EGFR mutations (exon 19 deletion and L858R, with or without T790M), osimertinib showed lower IC50 values and wider therapeutic windows than nazartinib. For less common EGFR mutations (G719S or L861Q), afatinib showed the lowest IC50 values. For G719S+T790M or L861Q+T790M, the IC50 values of osimertinib and nazartinib were around 100 nM, which was 10- to 100-fold higher than those for classic+T790M mutations. On the contrary, osimertinib and nazartinib showed similar efficacies in cells expressing EGFR exon 20 insertions. The findings highlight the diverse mutation-related sensitivity pattern of EGFR-TKIs. These data may help in the selection of EGFR-TKIs for non-small cell lung cancer patients harboring EGFR mutations.

  11. Purification, characterization, and biological activities of broccolini lectin.

    PubMed

    Xu, Pingping; Zhang, Ting; Guo, Xiaolei; Ma, Chungwah; Zhang, Xuewu

    2015-01-01

    Plant lectins have displayed a variety of biological activities. In this study, for the first time, a 27 kDa arabinose- and mannose-specific lectin from Broccolini (Brassica oleracea Italica × Alboglabra), named as BL (Broccolini lectin), was purified by an activity-driven protocol. Mass spectrometry analysis and database search indicated that no matches with any plant lectin were found, but BL contained some peptide fragments (QQQGQQGQQLQQVISR, QQGQQQGQQGQQLQQVISR and VCNIPQVSVCPF QK). BL exhibited hemagglutinating activity against chicken erythrocytes at 4 µg/mL. BL retained full hemagglutinating activity at pH 7-8 and temperature 30-40°C, and had an optimal activity in Ca(2+) solution. Bioactivity assay revealed that BL exhibited dose-dependent inhibition activity on 5 bacterial species with IC50 values of 143.95-486.33 μg/mL, and on 3 cancer cells with IC50 values of 178.82-350.93 μg/mL. Notably, 5-fold reduction in IC50 values was observed on normal L-O2 vs cancerous HepG-2 cells (924.35 vs. 178.82 μg/mL). This suggests that BL should be promising in food and medicine. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

  12. Intracellular delivery of etoposide loaded biodegradable nanoparticles: cytotoxicity and cellular uptake studies.

    PubMed

    Yadav, Khushwant S; Jacob, Sheeba; Sachdeva, Geetanjali; Sawant, Krutika K

    2011-08-01

    The preferred delivery systems for anticancer drugs would be the one which would have selective and effective destruction of cancer cells. In the present study etoposide (ETO) loaded nanoparticles (NP) were prepared using PLGA (ETO-PLGA NP), PLGA-MPEG block copolymer (ETO-PLGA-MPEG NP) and PLGA-Pluronic copolymer (ETO-PLGA-PLU NP) and they were evaluated for cytotoxicity and cellular uptake studies using two cancer cell lines, L1210 and DU145. The IC50 values for L1210 cells were 18.0, 6.2, 4.8 and 5.4 microM and for DU145 cells the IC50 values were 98.4, 75.1, 60.1 and 71.3 microM for ETO, ETO-PLGA NP, ETO-PLGA-MPEG NP and ETO-PLGA-PLU NP respectively. The increased cytotoxicities were attributed to increased uptake of the NPs by the cells. Moreover the ETO loaded PLGA-MPEG NP and PLGA-Pluronic NP showed a sustained cytotoxic effect till 5 days on both the cell lines. Results of the long term cytotoxicity study concluded that the drug loaded PLGA nanoparticulate formulations were efficient in decreasing the viability of the L1210 cells over a period of three days, whereas the pure drug exerted its maximum efficiency on the day one itself. Z-stack confocal images of NPs showed fluorescence activity in each section of DU 145 and L1210 cells indicating that the nanoparticles were internalized by the cells. The study concluded that ETO loaded PLGA NPs had higher cytotoxicity compared with that of the free drug and ETO-PLGA-MPEG NP and ETO-PLGA-PLU NP had higher cell uptake efficiency compared with that of ETO-PLGA NP. The developed PLGA based NPs shows promise to be used for cancer therapy.

  13. Discovery of novel STAT3 small molecule inhibitors via in silico site-directed fragment-based drug design.

    PubMed

    Yu, Wenying; Xiao, Hui; Lin, Jiayuh; Li, Chenglong

    2013-06-13

    Constitutive activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) has been validated as an attractive therapeutic target for cancer therapy. To stop both STAT3 activation and dimerization, a viable strategy is to design inhibitors blocking its SH2 domain phosphotyrosine binding site that is responsible for both actions. A new fragment-based drug design (FBDD) strategy, in silico site-directed FBDD, was applied in this study. A designed novel compound, 5,8-dioxo-6-(pyridin-3-ylamino)-5,8-dihydronaphthalene-1-sulfonamide (LY5), was confirmed to bind to STAT3 SH2 by fluorescence polarization assay. In addition, four out of the five chosen compounds have IC50 values lower than 5 μM for the U2OS cancer cells. 8 (LY5) has an IC50 range in 0.5-1.4 μM in various cancer cell lines. 8 also suppresses tumor growth in an in vivo mouse model. This study has demonstrated the utility of this approach and could be used to other drug targets in general.

  14. Kinetic properties of Streptomyces canarius L- Glutaminase and its anticancer efficiency.

    PubMed

    Reda, Fifi M

    2015-01-01

    L-glutaminase was produced by Streptomyces canarius FR (KC460654) with an apparent molecular mass of 44 kDa. It has 17.9 purification fold with a final specific activity 132.2 U/mg proteins and 28% yield recovery. The purified L-glutaminase showed a maximal activity against L-glutamine when incubated at pH 8.0 at 40 °C for 30 min. It maintained its stability at wide range of pH from 5.0 11.0 and thermal stable up to 60 °C with Tm value 57.5 °C. It has high affinity and catalytic activity for L-glutamine (Km 0.129 mM, Vmax 2.02 U/mg/min), followed by L-asparagine and L-aspartic acid. In vivo, L-glutaminase showed no observed changes in liver; kidney functions; hematological parameters and slight effect on RBCs and level of platelets after 10 days of rabbit's injection. The anticancer activity of L-glutaminase was also tested against five types of human cancer cell lines using MTT assay in vitro. L-glutaminase has a significant efficiency against Hep-G2 cell (IC50, 6.8 μg/mL) and HeLa cells (IC50, 8.3 μg/mL), while the growth of MCF-7 cells was not affected. L-glutaminase has a moderate cytotoxic effect against HCT-116 cell (IC50, 64.7 μg/mL) and RAW 264.7 cell (IC50, 59.3 μg/mL).

  15. Targeting of the MUC1-C Oncoprotein in Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-09-01

    effect- level isobologram analysis is shown for ED 90 (), ED 75 (+) and ED 50 (×) with the right side panel indicating the CI index for the...was generated by exposing the cells to fixed IC50 ratios of GO-203, GSK1120212 and the GO- 203/GSK1120212 combination. The multiple effect- level ...Kharbanda S, and Kufe D, MUC1 oncoprotein blocks GSK3β -mediated phosphorylation and degradation of β-catenin. Cancer Res, 2005. 65:10413-22. 11. Rajabi

  16. Inhibitory effects of sea buckthorn procyanidins on fatty acid synthase and MDA-MB-231 cells.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yi; Nie, Fangyuan; Ouyang, Jian; Wang, Xiaoyan; Ma, Xiaofeng

    2014-10-01

    Fatty acid synthase (FAS) is overexpressed in many human cancers including breast cancer and is considered to be a promising target for therapy. Sea buckthorn has long been used to treat a variety of maladies. Here, we investigated the inhibitory effect of sea buckthorn procyanidins (SBPs) isolated from the seeds of sea buckthorn on FAS and FAS overexpressed human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. The FAS activity and FAS inhibition were measured by a spectrophotometer at 340 nm of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) absorption. We found that SBP potently inhibited the activity of FAS with a half-inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 0.087 μg/ml. 3-4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,3-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to test the cell viability. SBP reduced MDA-MB-231 cell viability with an IC50 value of 37.5 μg/ml. Hoechst 33258/propidium iodide dual staining and flow cytometric analysis showed that SBP induced MDA-MB-231 cell apoptosis. SBP inhibited intracellular FAS activity with a dose-dependent manner. In addition, sodium palmitate could rescue the cell apoptosis induced by SBP. These results showed that SBP was a promising FAS inhibitor which could induce the apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells via inhibiting FAS. These findings suggested that SBP might be useful for preventing or treating breast cancer.

  17. Inducing cell death in vitro in cancer cells by targeted delivery of cytochrome c via a transferrin conjugate

    PubMed Central

    Delgado, Yamixa; Sharma, Rohit Kumar; Sharma, Shweta; Guzmán, Solimar Liz Ponce De León; Tinoco, Arthur D.; Griebenow, Kai

    2018-01-01

    One of the major drawbacks of many of the currently used cancer drugs are off-target effects. Targeted delivery is one method to minimize such unwanted and detrimental events. To actively target lung cancer cells, we have developed a conjugate of the apoptosis inducing protein cytochrome c with transferrin because the transferrin receptor is overexpressed by many rapidly dividing cancer cells. Cytochrome c and transferrin were cross-linked with a redox sensitive disulfide bond for the intra-cellular release of the protein upon endocytosis by the transferrin receptor. Confocal results demonstrated the cellular uptake of the cytochrome c-transferrin conjugate by transferrin receptor overexpressing A549 lung cancer cells. Localization studies further validated that this conjugate escaped the endosome. Additionally, an in vitro assay showed that the conjugate could induce apoptosis by activating caspase-3. The neo-conjugate not only maintained an IC50 value similar to the well known drug cisplatin (50 μM) in A549 cancer cells but also was nontoxic to the normal lung (MRC5) cells. Our neo-conjugate holds promise for future development to target cancers with enhanced transferrin receptor expression. PMID:29649293

  18. Cytotoxic activity screening of Bangladeshi medicinal plant extracts.

    PubMed

    Akter, Raushanara; Uddin, Shaikh J; Grice, I Darren; Tiralongo, Evelin

    2014-01-01

    The cytotoxic activity of 23 crude methanol extracts from 19 Bangladeshi medicinal plants was investigated against healthy mouse fibroblasts (NIH3T3), healthy monkey kidney (VERO) and four human cancer cell lines (gastric, AGS; colon, HT-29; and breast, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) using MTT assay. High cytotoxicity across all cell lines tested was exhibited by Aegiceras corniculatum (fruit) and Hymenodictyon excelsum (bark) extracts (IC50 values ranging from 0.0005 to 0.9980 and 0.08 to 0.44 mg/mL, respectively). Fourteen extracts from 11 plant species, namely Clitoria ternatea (flower and leaf), Dillenia indica (leaf), Diospyros peregrina (leaf), Dipterocarpus turbinatus (bark and leaf), Ecbolium viride (leaf), Glinus oppositifolius (whole plant), Gnaphalium luteoalbum (leaf), Jasminum sambac (leaf), Lannea coromandelica (bark and leaf), Mussaenda glabrata (leaf) and Saraca asoca (leaf), were also significantly cytotoxic (IC50 < 1.0 mg/mL) against at least one of the cancer cell lines tested. More selectively, Avicennia alba (leaf), C. ternatea (flower and leaf), Caesalpinia pulcherrima (leaf), E. viride (leaf) and G. oppositifolius (whole plant) showed cytotoxicity only against both of the breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231). In contrast, C. ternatea (flower and leaf) exhibited high cytotoxic activity against MDA-MB-231 (IC50 values of 0.11 and 0.49 mg/mL, respectively), whereas E. viride and G. oppositifolius whole plant extracts exhibited high activity against MCF-7 cells (IC50 values of 0.06 and 0.15 mg/mL, respectively). The cytotoxic activity test results for 9 of the plant species correlate with their traditional use as anticancer agents, thus making them interesting sources for further drug development.

  19. Anticancer potential of pyrrole (1, 2, a) pyrazine 1, 4, dione, hexahydro 3-(2-methyl propyl) (PPDHMP) extracted from a new marine bacterium, Staphylococcus sp. strain MB30.

    PubMed

    Lalitha, P; Veena, V; Vidhyapriya, P; Lakshmi, Pragna; Krishna, R; Sakthivel, N

    2016-05-01

    Marine bacterium, strain MB30 isolated from the deep sea sediment of Bay of Bengal, India, exhibited antimicrobial activity against human pathogenic bacteria. Based on the 16S rRNA sequence homology and subsequent phylogenetic tree analysis, the strain MB30 was identified as Staphylococcus sp. The bioactive metabolite produced by the strain MB30 was purified through silica gel column chromatography and preparative HPLC. Purified metabolite was further characterized by FT-IR, LC-MS and NMR analyses. On the basis of spectroscopic data, the metabolite was identified as pyrrole (1, 2, a) pyrazine 1, 4, dione, hexahydro 3-(2-methyl propyl) (PPDHMP). The PPDHMP exhibited in vitro anticancer potential against lung (A549) and cervical (HeLa) cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner with the IC50 concentration of 19.94 ± 1.23 and 16.73 ± 1.78 μg ml(-1) respectively. The acridine orange (AO)/ethidium bromide (EB) and 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride (DAPI) staining of the IC50 concentration of PPDHMP-treated cancer cells exhibited an array of morphological changes such as nuclear condensation, cell shrinkage and formation of apoptotic bodies. The PPDHMP-treated cancer cells induced the progressive accumulation of fragmented DNA in a time-dependent manner. Based on the flow cytometric analysis, it has become evident that the compound was also effective in arresting the cell cycle at G1 phase. Further, the Western blotting analysis confirmed the down-regulation of cyclin-D1, cyclin dependent kinase (CDK-2), anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins (Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL), activation of caspase-9 and 3 with the cleavage of PARP. The PPDHMP-treated cancer cells also showed the inhibition of migration and invasive capacity of cancer cells. In the present investigation, for the first time, we have reported the extraction, purification and characterization of an anticancer metabolite, PPDHMP from a new marine bacterium, Staphylococcus sp. strain MB30.

  20. Doxorubicin-anti-carcinoembryonic antigen immunoconjugate activity in vitro.

    PubMed

    Richardson, V J; Ford, C H; Tsaltas, G; Gallant, M E

    1989-04-01

    An in vitro model consisting of a series of 11 human cancer cell lines with varying density of expression of membrane carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) has been used to evaluate conjugates of doxorubicin (Adriamycin) covalently linked by a carbodiimide method to goat polyclonal antibodies and mouse monoclonal antibodies to CEA. Conjugates were produced which retained both antigen binding and drug cytotoxicity. IC50 values were determined for free drug, free drug mixed with unconjugated antibodies and for the immunoconjugates. Cell lines that were very sensitive to free drug (IC50 less than 100 ng/ml) were also found to be highly sensitive to conjugated drug and similarly cell lines resistant to drug (IC50 greater than 1,000 ng/ml) were also resistant to conjugated drug. Although there was no correlation between CEA expression and conjugates efficacy, competitive inhibition studies using autologous antibody to block conjugate binding to cells indicated immunoconjugates specificity for the CEA target.

  1. Synthesis, crystal structure and anticancer activity of tetrakis(N-isopropylimidazolidine-2-selenone)platinum(II) chloride

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ahmad, Saeed; Altoum, Ali Osman S.; Vančo, Ján; Křikavová, Radka; Trávníček, Zdeněk; Dvořák, Zdeněk; Altaf, Muhammad; Sohail, Manzar; Isab, Anvarhusein A.

    2018-01-01

    A Platinum(II) complex of N-isopropylimidazolidine-2-selenone (i-PrImSe), [Pt(i-PrImSe)4]Cl2 (1) was prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, IR and NMR (1H, 13C, 77Se &195Pt) spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. The structure of 1 consists of [Pt(i-PrImSe)4]2+ complex ion and chloride counter ions. The platinum(II) atom adopts a distorted square planar geometry. The in vitro antitumor activity of 1 as well as cisplatin, was evaluated by MTT assay against human; ovarian carcinoma A2780 and its cisplatin-resistant subline A2780R, prostate cancer 22Rv1 and breast cancer MCF-7 cell lines. The title complex displayed the activity against the A2780 cells (IC50 = 30.8 μM) at the level comparable to cisplatin (IC50 = 26.8 μM). The interaction studies with sulfur-containing biomolecules revealed its ability to form a variety of intermediates and oxidized species with L-cysteine and reduced glutathione.

  2. Evaluation of uttroside B, a saponin from Solanum nigrum Linn, as a promising chemotherapeutic agent against hepatocellular carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Nath, Lekshmi R.; Gorantla, Jaggaiah N.; Thulasidasan, Arun Kumar T.; Vijayakurup, Vinod; Shah, Shabna; Anwer, Shabna; Joseph, Sophia M.; Antony, Jayesh; Veena, Kollery Suresh; Sundaram, Sankar; Marelli, Udaya K.; Lankalapalli, Ravi S.; Anto, Ruby John

    2016-01-01

    We report, for the first time, the remarkable efficacy of uttroside B, a potent saponin from Solanum nigrum Linn, against liver cancer. The compound has been isolated and characterized from the leaves of Solanum nigrum Linn, a plant widely used in traditional medicine and is a rich resource of several anticancer molecules. Uttroside B, that comprises of β-D-glucopyranosyl unit at C-26 of the furostanol and β-lycotetraosyl unit at C-3, is ten times more cytotoxic to the liver cancer cell line, HepG2 (IC50: 0.5 μM) than sorafenib (IC50: 5.8 μM), the only FDA-approved drug for liver cancer. Moreover, it induces cytotoxicity in all liver cancer cell lines, irrespective of their HBV status, while being non-toxic to normal immortalized hepatocytes. It induces apoptosis in HepG2 cells by down-regulating mainly the activation of MAPK and mTOR pathways. The drastic reduction in HepG2-xenograft tumor size achieved by uttroside B in NOD-SCID mice and substantiation of its biological safety through both acute and chronic toxicity studies in Swiss albino mice warrants clinical validation of the molecule against hepatic cancer, for which, the chemotherapeutic armamentarium currently has limited weapons. PMID:27808117

  3. Screening Active Compounds from Garcinia Species Native to China Reveals Novel Compounds Targeting the STAT/JAK Signaling Pathway

    PubMed Central

    Xu, Linfeng; Lao, Yuanzhi; Zhao, Yanhui; Qin, Jian; Fu, Wenwei; Zhang, Yingjia; Xu, Hongxi

    2015-01-01

    Natural compounds from medicinal plants are important resources for drug development. In a panel of human tumor cells, we screened a library of the natural products from Garcinia species which have anticancer potential to identify new potential therapeutic leads and discovered that caged xanthones were highly effective at suppressing multiple cancer cell lines. Their anticancer activities mainly depended on apoptosis pathways. For compounds in sensitive cancer line, their mechanisms of mode of action were evaluated. 33-Hydroxyepigambogic acid and 35-hydroxyepigambogic acid exhibited about 1 μM IC50 values against JAK2/JAK3 kinases and less than 1 μM IC50 values against NCI-H1650 cell which autocrined IL-6. Thus these two compounds provided a new antitumor molecular scaffold. Our report describes 33-hydroxyepigambogic acid and 35-hydroxyepigambogic acid that inhibited NCI-H1650 cell growth by suppressing constitutive STAT3 activation via direct inhibition of JAK kinase activity. PMID:26090459

  4. Synthesis and anti-proliferative activity of fluoro-substituted chalcones.

    PubMed

    Burmaoglu, Serdar; Algul, Oztekin; Anıl, Derya Aktas; Gobek, Arzu; Duran, Gulay Gulbol; Ersan, Ronak Haj; Duran, Nizami

    2016-07-01

    A series of novel fluoro-substituted chalcone derivatives have been synthesized. All synthesized compounds were characterized by (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), (13)C NMR, and elemental analysis. Their anti-proliferative activities were evaluated against five cancer cells lines, namely, A549, A498, HeLa, A375, and HepG2 using the MTT method. Most of the compounds showed moderate to high activity with IC50 values in the range of 0.029-0.729μM. Of all the synthesized compounds, 10 and 19 exhibited the most potent anti-proliferative activities against cancer cells, and 10 was identified as the most promising compound. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Small Molecule Inhibitors of ERG and ETV1 in Prostate Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-09-01

    2012; 3: 172-182. The racemic compound has 8.7 fold (8.88 uM/1.02 uM) therapeutic window (comparing IC50 of Ewing cells to non- Ewing Cells). The S ...molecule blocking oncogenic protein EWS -FLI1 interaction with RNA helicase A inhibits growth of Ewing’s sarcoma . Nature medicine. 2009;15:750-6. 15...those of the author( s ) and should not be construed as an official Department of the Army position, policy or decision unless so designated by other

  6. Quercetin Suppresses Twist to Induce Apoptosis in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Ranganathan, Santhalakshmi; Halagowder, Devaraj; Sivasithambaram, Niranjali Devaraj

    2015-01-01

    Quercetin is a dietary flavonoid which exerts anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. In this study, we investigated the anti-proliferative effect of quercetin in two breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231), which differed in hormone receptor. IC50 value (37μM) of quercetin showed significant cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cells, which was not observed in MDA-MB-231 cells even at 100μM of quercetin treatment. To study the response of cancer cells to quercetin, with respect to different hormone receptors, both the cell lines were treated with a fixed concentration (40μM) of quercetin. MCF-7 cells on quercetin treatment showed more apoptotic cells with G1 phase arrest. In addition, quercetin effectively suppressed the expression of CyclinD1, p21, Twist and phospho p38MAPK, which was not observed in MDA-MB-231 cells. To analyse the molecular mechanism of quercetin in exerting an apoptotic effect in MCF-7 cells, Twist was over-expressed and the molecular changes were observed after quercetin administration. Quercetin effectively regulated the expression of Twist, in turn p16 and p21 which induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. In conclusion, quercetin induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells through suppression of Twist via p38MAPK pathway. PMID:26491966

  7. Synthesis and antiproliferative activity of two diastereomeric lignan amides serving as dimeric caffeic acid-l-DOPA hybrids.

    PubMed

    Magoulas, George E; Rigopoulos, Andreas; Piperigkou, Zoi; Gialeli, Chrysostomi; Karamanos, Nikos K; Takis, Panteleimon G; Troganis, Anastassios N; Chrissanthopoulos, Athanassios; Maroulis, George; Papaioannou, Dionissios

    2016-06-01

    Two new diastereomeric lignan amides (4 and 5) serving as dimeric caffeic acid-l-DOPA hybrids were synthesized. The synthesis involved the FeCl3-mediated phenol oxidative coupling of methyl caffeate to afford trans-diester 1a as a mixture of enantiomers, protection of the catechol units, regioselective saponification, coupling with a suitably protected l-DOPA derivative, separation of the two diastereomers thus obtained by flash column chromatography and finally global chemoselective deprotection of the catechol units. The effect of hybrids 4 and 5 and related compounds on the proliferation of two breast cancer cell lines with different metastatic potential and estrogen receptor status (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) and of one epithelial lung cancer cell line, namely A-549, was evaluated for concentrations ranging from 1 to 256μM and periods of treatment of 24, 48 and 72h. Both hybrids showed interesting and almost equipotent antiproliferative activities (IC50 64-70μM) for the MDA-MB-231 cell line after 24-48h of treatment, but they were more selective and much more potent (IC50 4-16μM) for the MCF-7 cells after 48h of treatment. The highest activity for both hybrids and both breast cancer lines was observed after 72h of treatment (IC50 1-2μM), probably as the result of slow hydrolysis of their methyl ester functions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging compounds from soybean miso and antiproliferative activity of isoflavones from soybean miso toward the cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Hirota, A; Taki, S; Kawaii, S; Yano, M; Abe, N

    2000-05-01

    Guided by their DPPH radical-scavenging activity, nine compounds were isolated from soybean miso. Of these, 8-hydroxydaidzein, 8-hydroxygenistein and syringic acid had as high DPPH radical-scavenging activity as that of alpha-tocopherol. The antiproliferative activity of four of the isolated isoflavones toward three cancer cell lines was examined. 8-Hydroxygenistein showed the highest activity (IC50=5.2 microM) toward human promyelocytic leukemia cells (HL-60).

  9. Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate-zinc(II) and -copper(II) complexes induce apoptosis in tumor cells by inhibiting the proteasomal activity☆

    PubMed Central

    Milacic, Vesna; Chen, Di; Giovagnini, Lorena; Diez, Alejandro; Fregona, Dolores; Dou, Q. Ping

    2013-01-01

    Zinc and copper are trace elements essential for proper folding, stabilization and catalytic activity of many metalloenzymes in living organisms. However, disturbed zinc and copper homeostasis is reported in many types of cancer. We have previously demonstrated that copper complexes induced proteasome inhibition and apoptosis in cultured human cancer cells. In the current study we hypothesized that zinc complexes could also inhibit the proteasomal chymotrypsin-like activity responsible for subsequent apoptosis induction. We first showed that zinc(II) chloride was able to inhibit the chymotrypsin-like activity of a purified 20S proteasome with an IC50 value of 13.8 μM, which was less potent than copper(II) chloride (IC50 5.3 μM). We then compared the potencies of a pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PyDT)-zinc(II) complex and a PyDT-copper(II) complex to inhibit cellular proteasomal activity, suppress proliferation and induce apoptosis in various human breast and prostate cancer cell lines. Consistently, zinc complex was less potent than copper complex in inhibiting the proteasome and inducing apoptosis. Additionally, zinc and copper complexes appear to use somewhat different mechanisms to kill tumor cells. Zinc complexes were able to activate calpain-, but not caspase-3-dependent pathway, while copper complexes were able to induce activation of both proteases. Furthermore, the potencies of these PyDT-metal complexes depend on the nature of metals and also on the ratio of PyDT to the metal ion within the complex, which probably affects their stability and availability for interacting with and inhibiting the proteasome in tumor cells. PMID:18501397

  10. Evaluation of one- and two-photon activated photodynamic therapy with pyropheophorbide-a methyl ester in human cervical, lung and ovarian cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Luo, Ting; Wilson, Brian C; Lu, Qing-Bin

    2014-03-05

    Two-photon activated photodynamic therapy (2-γ PDT) has the potential of treating deeper tumors and/or improving tumor targeting. Here, we evaluated the one- and two-photon activated PDT efficacy of pyropheophorbide-a methyl ester (MPPa), a second-generation photosensitizer derived from chlorophyll a. We show that MPPa, when activated by femtosecond (fs) laser pulses at 674 nm, has high one-photon (1-γ) PDT efficacy against cisplatin-sensitive human cervical (HeLa) and cisplatin-resistant human lung (A549) and ovarian (NIH:OVCAR-3) cancer cells. At a low light dose of 0.06 J cm(-2), the IC50 (the MPPa concentration required to kill 50% of the cells) was determined to be 5.3 ± 0.3, 3.4 ± 0.3 and 3.6 ± 0.4 μM for HeLa, A549 and NIH:OVCAR-3 cells, respectively. More significantly, we also show that MPPa can be effectively activated by an 800 nm, 120 fs laser through 2-γ excitation; at a light dose causing no measurable photocytotoxicity in the absence of photosensitizer, the corresponding IC50 values were measured to be 4.1 ± 0.3, 9.6 ± 1.0 and 1.6 ± 0.3 μM, respectively. These results indicate that MPPa is a potent photosensitizer for both 1- and 2-γ activated PDT with potential applications for difficult-to-treat tumors by conventional therapies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Licochalcone A induces apoptosis in KB human oral cancer cells via a caspase-dependent FasL signaling pathway

    PubMed Central

    KIM, JAE-SUNG; PARK, MI-RA; LEE, SOOK-YOUNG; KIM, DO KYOUNG; MOON, SUNG-MIN; KIM, CHUN SUNG; CHO, SEUNG SIK; YOON, GOO; IM, HEE-JEONG; YOU, JAE-SEEK; OH, JI-SU; KIM, SU-GWAN

    2014-01-01

    Licochalcone A (Lico-A) is a natural phenol licorice compound with multiple bioactivities, including anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-fungal and osteogenesis-inducing properties. In the present study, we investigated the Lico-A-induced apoptotic effects and examined the associated apoptosis pathway in KB human oral cancer cells. Lico-A decreased the number of viable KB oral cancer cells. However, Lico-A did not have an effect on primary normal human oral keratinocytes. In addition, the IC50 value of Lico-A was determined to be ~50 μM following dose-dependent stimulation. KB oral cancer cells stimulated with Lico-A for 24 h showed chromatin condensation by DAPI staining, genomic DNA fragmentation by agarose gel electrophoresis and a gradually increased apoptotic cell population by FACS analysis. These data suggest that Lico-A induces apoptosis in KB oral cancer cells. Additionally, Lico-A-induced apoptosis in KB oral cancer cells was mediated by the expression of factor associated suicide ligand (FasL) and activated caspase-8 and −3 and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Furthermore, in the KB oral cancer cells co-stimulation with a caspase inhibitor (Z-VAD-fmk) and Lico-A significantly abolished the apoptotic phenomena. Our findings demonstrated that Lico-A-induced apoptosis in KB oral cancer cells involves the extrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway, which involves a caspase-dependent FasL-mediated death receptor pathway. Our data suggest that Lico-A be developed as a chemotherapeutic agent for the management of oral cancer. PMID:24337492

  12. Synthesis, docking and ADMET studies of novel chalcone triazoles for anti-cancer and anti-diabetic activity.

    PubMed

    Chinthala, Yakaiah; Thakur, Sneha; Tirunagari, Shalini; Chinde, Srinivas; Domatti, Anand Kumar; Arigari, Niranjana Kumar; K V N S, Srinivas; Alam, Sarfaraz; Jonnala, Kotesh Kumar; Khan, Feroz; Tiwari, Ashok; Grover, Paramjit

    2015-03-26

    A series of novel chalcone-triazole derivatives were synthesized and screened for in vitro anticancer activity on the human cancer cell lines IMR32 (neuroblastoma), HepG2 (hepatoma) and MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), DU-145 (prostate carcinoma), and A549 (lung adenocarcinoma). Among the tested compounds, 4r showed the most promising anticancer activity in all the cell lines whereas, compounds 4c (IC50 65.86 μM), 4e (IC50 66.28 μM), 4o (IC50 35.81 μM), 4q (IC50 50.82 μM) and 4s (IC50 48.63 μM) showed better activity than the standard doxorubicin (IC50 69.33 μM) in A549 cell line alone. Rat intestinal α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of the synthesized derivatives showed 4m (IC50 67.77 μM), 4p (IC50 74.94 in μM) and 4s (IC50 102.10 μM) as most active compared to others. The in silico docking of synthesized derivatives 4a-4t with DNA topoisomerase IIα revealed the LibDock score in the range of 71.2623-118.29 whereas, compounds 4h, 4m, 4p and 4s with docking target α-glucosidase were in the range of 100.372-107.784. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  13. Absolute configuration of podophyllotoxone and its inhibitory activity against human prostate cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Li, Juan; Feng, Juan; Luo, Cheng; Herman, Ho-Yung Sung; Jiang, Ren-Wang

    2015-01-01

    Podophyllotoxone (1) was isolated from the roots of Dysosma versipellis. The structure was determined by spectroscopic analysis in combination with single-crystal X-ray analysis. The absolute configuration of compound 1 was assigned based on the Flack parameter. It showed significant inhibitory activities against human prostate cancer cells PC3 and DU145 with IC50 values being 14.7 and 20.6 μmol·L(-1), respectively. It also arrested the cells at G2/M phase. Tubulin polymerization assay showed that it inhibited the tubulin polymerization in a dose-dependent manner, and molecular docking analysis revealed a different binding mode with tubulin as compared with those known tubulin inhibitors. Copyright © 2015 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. New hydrazonoindolin-2-ones: Synthesis, exploration of the possible anti-proliferative mechanism of action and encapsulation into PLGA microspheres.

    PubMed

    Attia, Mohamed I; Eldehna, Wagdy M; Afifi, Samar A; Keeton, Adam B; Piazza, Gary A; Abdel-Aziz, Hatem A

    2017-01-01

    The synthesis and molecular characterization of new isatin-based hydrazonoindolin-2-ones 4a-o and 7a-e are reported. The in vitro anti-proliferative potential of the synthesized compounds 4a-o and 7a-e was examined against HT-29 (colon), ZR-75 (breast) and A549 (lung) human cancer cell lines. Compounds 7b, 7d and 7e were the most active congeners against the tested human cancer cell lines with average IC50 values of 4.77, 3.39 and 2.37 μM, respectively, as compared with the reference isatin-based drug, sunitinib, which exhibited an average IC50 value of 8.11 μM. Compound 7e was selected for further pharmacological evaluation in order to gain insight into its possible mechanism of action. It increased caspase 3/7 activity by 2.4- and 1.85-fold between 4 and 8 h of treatment, respectively, at 10 μM and it caused a decrease in the percentage of cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle with a corresponding increase in the S-phase. In addition, compound 7e increased phosphorylated tyrosine (p-Tyr) levels nearly two-fold with an apparent IC50 value of 3.8 μM. The 7e-loaded PLGA microspheres were prepared using a modified emulsion-solvent diffusion method. The average encapsulation efficiency of the 7e-loaded PLGA microspheres was 85% ± 1.3. While, the in vitro release profile of the 7e-loaded microspheres was characterized by slow and continuous release of compound 7e during 21 days and the release curve was fitted to zero order kinetics. Incorporation of 7e into PLGA microspheres improved its in vitro anti-proliferative activity toward the human cancer cell line A549 after 120 h incubation period with an IC50 value less than 0.8 μM.

  15. Entrapment into nanoemulsions potentiates the anticancer activity of tocotrienols against the highly malignant (+SA) mouse mammary epithelial cells.

    PubMed

    Alayoubi, Alaadin; Ayoub, Nehad M; Malaviya, Abhita; Sylvester, Paul W; Nazzal, Sami

    2014-05-01

    The highly malignant +SA mouse mammary epithelial cells were used as the model cell line over the years to establish the anticancer activity of tocotrienols. Tocotrienols, however, have poor oral bioavailability and were therefore entrapped into parenteral nanoemulsions for parenteral administration. The objective of this work was to test whether the activity of tocotrienols in lipid nanoemulsions against the +SA cells was retained. A secondary objective was to test whether stabilizing the nanoemulsions with poloxamer or sodium oleate would affect their activity. Nanoemulsions were found to be significantly more potent than tocotrienol/albumin conjugate. The IC50 values of the poloxamer and sodium oleate nanoemulsions were 3 and 6 microM, respectively, whereas the IC50 value of the conjugate was 10 microM. The antiproliferative activity of the nanoemulsions was also found to inversely correlate with particle size. No activity was observed with nanoemulsions loaded with alpha-tocopherol or vehicle, which confirmed the cytotoxic activity of tocotrienols and the potential use of nanoemulsions in cancer therapy.

  16. Novel 1,5-diphenyl-6-substituted 1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4(5H)-ones induced apoptosis in RKO colon cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Malki, Ahmed; Ashour, Hayam M A; Elbayaa, Rasha Y; Issa, Doaa A E; Aziz, Hassan A; Chen, Xiaozhuo

    2016-12-01

    Novel 1,5-diphenyl-6-substituted-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4(5H)-ones were synthesized and characterized. All compounds were screened for their anti-proliferative activities in five different cancer cell lines. The results showed that compounds 7a and 7b comprising aminoguanidino or guanidino moiety at position 6 inhibited proliferation of RKO colon cancer cells with IC50 of 8 and 4 μM, respectively. Compounds 7a and 7b induced apoptosis in RKO cells, which was confirmed by TUNEL and annexin V-FITC assays. Flow cytometric analysis indicated that compounds 7a and 7b arrested RKO cells in the G1 phase and the most active compound 7b increased levels of p53, p21, Bax, ERK1/2 and reduced levels of Bcl2 and Akt. Compound 7b also activates release of cytochrome c, which is consistent with activation of caspase-9. Additionally, compound 7b increased caspase-3 activity and cleaved PARP-1 in RKO cells. Collectively, these findings could establish a molecular basis for the development of new anti-cancer agents.

  17. Cytotoxic effects of Urtica dioica radix on human colon (HT29) and gastric (MKN45) cancer cells mediated through oxidative and apoptotic mechanisms.

    PubMed

    Ghasemi, S; Moradzadeh, M; Mousavi, S H; Sadeghnia, H R

    2016-10-15

    Defects in the apoptotic pathways are responsible for both the colorectal cancer pathogenesis and resistance to therapy. In this study, we examined the level of cellular oxidants, cytotoxicity and apoptosis induced by hydroalcoholic extract of U. dioica radix (0-2000 µg/mL) and oxaliplatin (0-1000 µg/mL, as positive control) in human gastric (MKN45) and colon (HT29) cancer, as well as normal human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) cells. Exposure to U. dioica or oxaliplatin showed a concentration dependent suppression in cell survival with IC50 values of 24.7, 249.9 and 857.5 µg/mL for HT29, MKN45 and HFF cells after 72 h treatment, respectively. ROS formation and lipid peroxidation were also concentration-dependently increased following treatment with U. dioica, similar to oxaliplatin. In addition, the number of apoptotic cells significantly increased concomitantly with concentration of U. dioica as compared with control cells, which is similar to oxaliplatin and serum-deprived cancer cells. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that U. dioica inhibited proliferation of gastric and colorectal cancer cells while posing no significant toxic effect on normal cells. U. dioica not only increased levels of oxidants, but also induced concomitant increase of apoptosis. The precise signaling pathway by which U. dioica induce apoptosis needs further research.

  18. Synthesis of a novel adamantyl nitroxide derivative with potent anti-hepatoma activity in vitro and in vivo

    PubMed Central

    Sun, Jin; Wang, Shan; Bu, Wei; Wei, Meng-Ying; Li, Wei-Wei; Yao, Min-Na; Ma, Zhong-Ying; Lu, Cheng-Tao; Li, Hui-Hui; Hu, Na-Ping; Zhang, En-Hu; Yang, Guo-Dong; Wen, Ai-Dong; Zhu, Xiao-He

    2016-01-01

    In this study, a novel adamantyl nitroxide derivative was synthesized and its antitumor activities in vitro and in vivo were investigated. The adamantyl nitroxide derivative 4 displayed a potent anticancer activity against all the tested human hepatoma cells, especially with IC50 of 68.1 μM in Bel-7404 cells, compared to the positive control 5-FU (IC50=607.7 μM). The significant inhibition of cell growth was also observed in xenograft mouse model, with low toxicity. Compound 4 suppressed the cell migration and invasion, induced the G2/M phase arrest. Further mechanistic studies revealed that compound 4 induced cell death, which was accompanied with damaging mitochondria, increasing the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species, cleavages of caspase-9 and caspase-3, as well as activations of Bax and Bcl-2. These results confirmed that adamantyl nitroxide derivative exhibited selective antitumor activities via mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in Bel-7404 cells, and would be a potential anticancer agent for liver cancer. PMID:27429843

  19. Biological Evaluation of Azomethine-dihydroquinazolinone Conjugates as Cancer and Cholinesterase Inhibitors.

    PubMed

    Iqbal, Jamshed; Saeed, Aamer; Shah, Syed J A; al-Rashida, Mariya; Shams-ul Mahmood

    2016-01-01

    In an attempt to discover novel anti-cancer agents and potent cholinesterase inhibitors, 11 azomethine-dihydroquinazolinone conjugates were evaluated against lung carcinoma cells and cholinesterases. Most of the compounds exhibited significant cytotoxicity at low micromolar concentrations and were less toxic to normal cells. After 24 h incubation period, 2i showed maximum cytotoxicity. The 4-bromine substituted compounds showed higher acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity than other screened compounds. The most active compound 2c, among the series, had an IC50 value 209.8 µM against AChE. The tested compounds showed less inhibition against butyrylcholinesterase. Molecular docking studies were performed in order to investigate the plausible binding modes of synthesized compounds. The compounds can be further optimized to treat cancer and Alzheimer's disease. These derivatives may open new pathways for introducing new therapies for curing cancer and senile dementia.

  20. [Silencing MSH3 expression enhances cisplatin sensitivity of human tongue cancer cells].

    PubMed

    Fan, Xiao-Sheng; Cao, Fang-Yun; Li, Kuang-Zheng

    2016-08-20

    To explore the effect of MSH3 knock-down on sensitivity of tongue cancer cells to cisplatin. Three small interfering RNA (siRNA) fragments targeting MSH3 CDS region were synthesized and transfected into CAL27 cells via Lipofectamine. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to assess the efficiency of MSH3 silencing. MTS, apoptosis staining and cell immunofluorescence assay were used to examine the cisplatin sensitivity, apoptosis and DNA repair of transfected CAL27 cells. s One of the 3 siRNAs was found to significantly reduce the expression of MSH3 protein in CAL27 cells (P<0.05). MTS assay showed that MSH3 silencing resulted in an significant reduction of IC50 of cisplatin from 21.32 to 13.95 µmol/L (P<0.05) and increased the apoptotic index of the exposed cells from 4.23∓1.27 to 11.32∓1.82 (P<0.05). Immunofluorescence assay demonstrated that silencing MSH3 markedly reduced the number of γ-H2AX foci. Silencing MSH3 can significantly increase cisplatin sensitivity of tongue cancer cells, the mechanism of which involves mainly attenuation of repair of DNA double-strand damage in the cells.

  1. Intracellular delivery of peptide cargos using iron oxide based nanoparticles: studies on antitumor efficacy of a BCL-2 converting peptide, NuBCP-9

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumar, Manoj; Singh, Gurpal; Sharma, Sapna; Gupta, Dikshi; Bansal, Vivek; Arora, Vikas; Bhat, Madhusudan; Srivastava, Sandeep K.; Sapra, Sameer; Kharbanda, Surender; Dinda, Amit K.; Singh, Harpal

    2014-11-01

    Delivering peptides into cells targeting the undruggable oncoproteins is an emerging area in cancer therapeutics. Here we report a novel nanoparticle-based delivery system that can transport therapeutic cargos to the intracellular sites without the need for a cell transduction or penetration domain (CPP). In the present study, we have used iron oxide nanoparticles to deliver an oncopeptide, NuBCP-9, targeting the BCL-2 BH3 domain. Citric acid/2-bromo 2-methylpropanoic acid (CA/BMPA)-capped SPIONs were used to immobilize and deliver the NuBCP-9 peptide to the cancer cells without any noticeable off-target effects. Our results have demonstrated that NuBCP-9-SPIONs efficiently penetrate into cancer cells and bind to its intracellular target protein BCL-2. Moreover, significant inhibition of proliferation and substantial induction of cell death were observed when cancer cells were treated with NuBCP-9-SPIONs at different time intervals. Importantly, the IC50 values for killing of breast cancer cells with NuBCP-9-SPIONs were much lower compared to cells treated with the NuBCP-9 peptide linked with a CPP (Arg-8; NuBCP-9-R8). Molecular and biochemical analyses further supported that NuBCP-9-SPIONs killed breast cancer cells by apoptosis-mediated mechanisms. Furthermore, our data demonstrated that administration of NuBCP-9-SPIONs to mice bearing Ehrlich ascites tumors (EAT) was associated with loss of tumorigenicity and extensive apoptosis in tumor tissues. Taken together, these findings show that a non-CPP-tagged peptide can be successfully delivered to undruggable intracellular oncotargets using SPIONs.Delivering peptides into cells targeting the undruggable oncoproteins is an emerging area in cancer therapeutics. Here we report a novel nanoparticle-based delivery system that can transport therapeutic cargos to the intracellular sites without the need for a cell transduction or penetration domain (CPP). In the present study, we have used iron oxide nanoparticles to deliver an oncopeptide, NuBCP-9, targeting the BCL-2 BH3 domain. Citric acid/2-bromo 2-methylpropanoic acid (CA/BMPA)-capped SPIONs were used to immobilize and deliver the NuBCP-9 peptide to the cancer cells without any noticeable off-target effects. Our results have demonstrated that NuBCP-9-SPIONs efficiently penetrate into cancer cells and bind to its intracellular target protein BCL-2. Moreover, significant inhibition of proliferation and substantial induction of cell death were observed when cancer cells were treated with NuBCP-9-SPIONs at different time intervals. Importantly, the IC50 values for killing of breast cancer cells with NuBCP-9-SPIONs were much lower compared to cells treated with the NuBCP-9 peptide linked with a CPP (Arg-8; NuBCP-9-R8). Molecular and biochemical analyses further supported that NuBCP-9-SPIONs killed breast cancer cells by apoptosis-mediated mechanisms. Furthermore, our data demonstrated that administration of NuBCP-9-SPIONs to mice bearing Ehrlich ascites tumors (EAT) was associated with loss of tumorigenicity and extensive apoptosis in tumor tissues. Taken together, these findings show that a non-CPP-tagged peptide can be successfully delivered to undruggable intracellular oncotargets using SPIONs. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr04504a

  2. Characterization of the antiproliferative activity of Xylopia aethiopica.

    PubMed

    Choumessi, Aphrodite T; Danel, Mathieu; Chassaing, Stefan; Truchet, Isabelle; Penlap, Véronique B; Pieme, Anatole Constant; Asonganyi, Tazoacha; Ducommun, Bernard; Valette, Annie

    2012-03-12

    Xylopia aethiopica, a plant found throughout West Africa, has both nutritional and medicinal uses. The present study aims to characterize the effects of extracts of this plant on cancer cells. We report that X. aethiopica extract prepared with 70% ethanol has antiproliferative activity against a panel of cancer cell lines. The IC50 was estimated at 12 μg/ml against HCT116 colon cancer cells, 7.5 μg/ml and > 25 μg/ml against U937 and KG1a leukemia cells, respectively. Upon fractionation of the extract by HPLC, the active fraction induced DNA damage, cell cycle arrest in G1 phase and apoptotic cell death. By using NMR and mass spectrometry, we determined the structure of the active natural product in the HPLC fraction as ent-15-oxokaur-16-en-19-oic acid. The main cytotoxic and DNA-damaging compound in ethanolic extracts of Xylopia aethiopica is ent-15-oxokaur-16-en-19-oic acid.

  3. Identification of novel isoform-selective inhibitors within class I histone deacetylases.

    PubMed

    Hu, Erding; Dul, Edward; Sung, Chiu-Mei; Chen, Zunxuan; Kirkpatrick, Robert; Zhang, Gui-Feng; Johanson, Kyung; Liu, Ronggang; Lago, Amparo; Hofmann, Glenn; Macarron, Ricardo; de los Frailes, Maite; Perez, Paloma; Krawiec, John; Winkler, James; Jaye, Michael

    2003-11-01

    Histone deacetylases (HDACs) represent an expanding family of protein modifying-enzymes that play important roles in cell proliferation, chromosome remodeling, and gene transcription. We have previously shown that recombinant human HDAC8 can be expressed in bacteria and retain its catalytic activity. To further explore the catalytic activity of HDACs, we expressed two additional human class I HDACs, HDAC1 and HDAC3, in baculovirus. Recombinant HDAC1 and HDAC3 fusion proteins remained soluble and catalytically active and were purified to near homogeneity. Interestingly, trichostatin (TSA) was found to be a potent inhibitor for all three HDACs (IC50 value of approximately 0.1-0.3 microM), whereas another HDAC inhibitor MS-27-275 (N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridin-3-methyloxycarbonyl)-aminomethyl]benzamide) preferentially inhibited HDAC1 (IC50 value of approximately 0.3 microM) versus HDAC3 (IC50 value of approximately 8 microM) and had no inhibitory activity toward HDAC8 (IC50 value >100 microM). MS-27-275 as well as TSA increased histone H4 acetylation, induced apoptosis in the human colon cancer cell line SW620, and activated the simian virus 40 early promoter. HDAC1 protein was more abundantly expressed in SW620 cells compared with that of HDAC3 and HDAC8. Using purified recombinant HDAC proteins, we identified several novel HDAC inhibitors that preferentially inhibit HDAC1 or HDAC8. These inhibitors displayed distinct properties in inducing histone acetylation and reporter gene expression. These results suggest selective HDAC inhibitors could be identified using recombinantly expressed HDACs and that HDAC1 may be a promising therapeutic target for designing HDAC inhibitors for proliferative diseases such as cancer.

  4. Synthesis and in vitro anti-proliferative effects of 3-(hetero)aryl substituted 3-[(prop-2-ynyloxy)(thiophen-2-yl)methyl]pyridine derivatives on various cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Reddy Chamakura, Upendar; Sailaja, E; Dulla, Balakrishna; Kalle, Arunasree M; Bhavani, S; Rambabu, D; Kapavarapu, Ravikumar; Rao, M V Basaveswara; Pal, Manojit

    2014-03-01

    A series of 3-(hetero)aryl substituted 3-[(prop-2-ynyloxy)(thiophen-2-yl)methyl]pyridine derivatives were designed as potential anticancer agents. These compounds were conveniently prepared by using Pd/C-Cu mediated Sonogashira type coupling as a key step. Many of these compounds were found to be promising when tested for their in vitro anti-proliferative properties against six cancer cell lines. All these compounds were found to be selective towards the growth inhibition of cancer cells with IC50 values in the range of 0.9-1.7 μM (against MDA-MB 231 and MCF7 cells), comparable to the known anticancer drug doxorubicin. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Cytotoxic activity of quassinoids from Eurycoma longifolia.

    PubMed

    Miyake, Katsunori; Li, Feng; Tezuka, Yasuhiro; Awale, Suresh; Kadota, Shigetoshi

    2010-07-01

    Twenty-four quassinoids isolated from Eurycoma longifolia Jack were investigated for their cytotoxicity against a panel of four different cancer cell lines, which includes three murine cell lines [colon 26-L5 carcinoma (colon 26-L5), B16-BL6 melanoma (B16-BL6), Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC)] and a human lung A549 adenocarcinoma (A549) cell line. Among the tested compounds, eurycomalactone (9) displayed the most potent activity against all the tested cell lines; colon 26-L5 (IC50 = 0.70 microM), B16-BL6 (IC50 = 0.59 microM), LLC (IC50 = 0.78 microM), and A549 (IC50 = 0.73 microM). These activities were comparable to clinically used anticancer agent doxorubicin (colon 26-L5, IC50 = 0.76 microM; B16-BL6, IC50 = 0.86 microM; LLC, IC50 = 0.80 microM; A549, IC50 = 0.66 microM).

  6. The Antimetastatic and Antiangiogenesis Effects of Kefir Water on Murine Breast Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Zamberi, Nur Rizi; Abu, Nadiah; Mohamed, Nurul Elyani; Nordin, Noraini; Keong, Yeap Swee; Beh, Boon Kee; Zakaria, Zuki Abu Bakar; Nik Abdul Rahman, Nik Mohd Afizan; Alitheen, Noorjahan Banu

    2016-01-01

    Background. Kefir is a unique cultured product that contains beneficial probiotics. Kefir culture from other parts of the world exhibits numerous beneficial qualities such as anti-inflammatory, immunomodulation, and anticancer effects. Nevertheless, kefir cultures from different parts of the world exert different effects because of variation in culture conditions and media. Breast cancer is the leading cancer in women, and metastasis is the major cause of death associated with breast cancer. The antimetastatic and antiangiogenic effects of kefir water made from kefir grains cultured in Malaysia were studied in 4T1 breast cancer cells. Methods. 4T1 cancer cells were treated with kefir water in vitro to assess its antimigration and anti-invasion effects. BALB/c mice were injected with 4T1 cancer cells and treated orally with kefir water for 28 days. Results. Kefir water was cytotoxic toward 4T1 cells at IC50 (half-maximal inhibitory concentration) of 12.5 and 8.33 mg/mL for 48 and 72 hours, respectively. A significant reduction in tumor size and weight (0.9132 ± 0.219 g) and a substantial increase in helper T cells (5-fold) and cytotoxic T cells (7-fold) were observed in the kefir water–treated group. Proinflammatory and proangiogenic markers were significantly reduced in the kefir water–treated group. Conclusions. Kefir water inhibited tumor proliferation in vitro and in vivo mainly through cancer cell apoptosis, immunomodulation by stimulating T helper cells and cytotoxic T cells, and anti-inflammatory, antimetastatic, and antiangiogenesis effects. This study brought out the potential of the probiotic beverage kefir water in cancer treatment. PMID:27230756

  7. Characterization of the antiproliferative activity of Xylopia aethiopica

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Xylopia aethiopica, a plant found throughout West Africa, has both nutritional and medicinal uses. The present study aims to characterize the effects of extracts of this plant on cancer cells. Results We report that X. aethiopica extract prepared with 70% ethanol has antiproliferative activity against a panel of cancer cell lines. The IC50 was estimated at 12 μg/ml against HCT116 colon cancer cells, 7.5 μg/ml and > 25 μg/ml against U937 and KG1a leukemia cells, respectively. Upon fractionation of the extract by HPLC, the active fraction induced DNA damage, cell cycle arrest in G1 phase and apoptotic cell death. By using NMR and mass spectrometry, we determined the structure of the active natural product in the HPLC fraction as ent-15-oxokaur-16-en-19-oic acid. Conclusion The main cytotoxic and DNA-damaging compound in ethanolic extracts of Xylopia aethiopica is ent-15-oxokaur-16-en-19-oic acid. PMID:22409878

  8. Effects of silymarin and silymarin-doxorubicin applications on telomerase activity of human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2.

    PubMed

    Yurtcu, Erkan; Darcansoy Iseri, Ozlem; Iffet Sahin, Feride

    2015-01-01

    Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is resistant to conventional chemotherapeutics such as doxorubicin. Milk thistle extract, or its active constituent silymarin has been used by cancer patients as an alternative and complementary agent. Telomerase activation is one of the initial events of HCC. In this study, we applied doxorubicin and silymarin for 72 hrs in order to test individual and combined effect of the agents on telomerase activity. The effects of doxorubicin, silymarin, and their combination on the proliferation of HepG2 cell line were tested by MTT assay, and Checkerboard micro plate method was applied to define the nature of doxorubicin and silymarin interactions on the cells. Lipid peroxidations were assessed by thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) level. Telomerase activity was determined according to the telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP). Untreated cells were used as control group. Doxorubicin-silymarin combination had indifferent antiproliferative effects on HepG2 cells. Telomerase activity of the cells incubated with IC50 of doxorubicin and silymarin decreased to 72% (p<0.05). IC50 combinations of doxorubicin and silymarin caused 70% (p<0.05) reduction. All treatments except for the 1/2IC50 of silymarin caused significant increase in lipid peroxidation levels when compared to controls. TBARS levels did not significantly increase when doxorubicin and silymarin were applied in combination, which is in concordance with the indifferent drug interaction. IC50 of both doxorubicin and silymarin alone and in combination inhibited telomerase activity. Mechanism of inhibition may be elucidated by further molecular studies.

  9. Polyisoprenylated Methylated Protein Methyl Esterase Is Both Sensitive to Curcumin and Overexpressed in Colorectal Cancer: Implications for Chemoprevention and Treatment

    PubMed Central

    Amissah, Felix; Duverna, Randolph; Aguilar, Byron J.; Poku, Rosemary A.; Lamango, Nazarius S.

    2013-01-01

    Inhibition of PMPMEase, a key enzyme in the polyisoprenylation pathway, induces cancer cell death. In this study, purified PMPMEase was inhibited by the chemopreventive agent, curcumin, with a K i of 0.3 μM (IC50 = 12.4 μM). Preincubation of PMPMEase with 1 mM curcumin followed by gel-filtration chromatography resulted in recovery of the enzyme activity, indicative of reversible inhibition. Kinetics analysis with N-para-nitrobenzoyl-S-trans,trans-farnesylcysteine methyl ester substrate yielded K M values of 23.6 ± 2.7 and 85.3 ± 15.3 μM in the absence or presence of 20 μM curcumin, respectively. Treatment of colorectal cancer (Caco2) cells with curcumin resulted in concentration-dependent cell death with an EC50 of 22.0 μg/mL. PMPMEase activity in the curcumin-treated cell lysate followed a similar concentration-dependent profile with IC50 of 22.6 μg/mL. In colorectal cancer tissue microarray studies, PMPMEase immunoreactivity was significantly higher in 88.6% of cases compared to normal colon tissues (P < 0.0001). The mean scores ± SEM were 91.7 ± 11.4 (normal), 75.0 ± 14.4 (normal adjacent), 294.8 ± 7.8 (adenocarcinoma), and 310.0 ± 22.6 (mucinous adenocarcinoma), respectively. PMPMEase overexpression in colorectal cancer and cancer cell death stemming from its inhibition is an indication of its possible role in cancer progression and a target for chemopreventive agents. PMID:23936796

  10. Polyisoprenylated methylated protein methyl esterase is both sensitive to curcumin and overexpressed in colorectal cancer: implications for chemoprevention and treatment.

    PubMed

    Amissah, Felix; Duverna, Randolph; Aguilar, Byron J; Poku, Rosemary A; Lamango, Nazarius S

    2013-01-01

    Inhibition of PMPMEase, a key enzyme in the polyisoprenylation pathway, induces cancer cell death. In this study, purified PMPMEase was inhibited by the chemopreventive agent, curcumin, with a K(i) of 0.3 μM (IC50 = 12.4 μM). Preincubation of PMPMEase with 1 mM curcumin followed by gel-filtration chromatography resulted in recovery of the enzyme activity, indicative of reversible inhibition. Kinetics analysis with N-para-nitrobenzoyl-S-trans,trans-farnesylcysteine methyl ester substrate yielded K M values of 23.6 ± 2.7 and 85.3 ± 15.3 μM in the absence or presence of 20 μM curcumin, respectively. Treatment of colorectal cancer (Caco2) cells with curcumin resulted in concentration-dependent cell death with an EC50 of 22.0 μg/mL. PMPMEase activity in the curcumin-treated cell lysate followed a similar concentration-dependent profile with IC50 of 22.6 μg/mL. In colorectal cancer tissue microarray studies, PMPMEase immunoreactivity was significantly higher in 88.6% of cases compared to normal colon tissues (P < 0.0001). The mean scores ± SEM were 91.7 ± 11.4 (normal), 75.0 ± 14.4 (normal adjacent), 294.8 ± 7.8 (adenocarcinoma), and 310.0 ± 22.6 (mucinous adenocarcinoma), respectively. PMPMEase overexpression in colorectal cancer and cancer cell death stemming from its inhibition is an indication of its possible role in cancer progression and a target for chemopreventive agents.

  11. CLONING, EXPRESSION, AND HEMOSTATIC ACTIVITIES OF A DISINTEGRIN, r-MOJASTIN 1, FROM THE MOHAVE RATTLESNAKE (Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus)

    PubMed Central

    Sánchez, Elda E.; Lucena, Sara E.; Reyes, Steven; Soto, Julio G.; Cantu, Esteban; Lopez-Johnston, Juan Carlos; Guerrero, Belsy; Salazar, Ana Maria; Rodríguez-Acosta, Alexis; Galán, Jacob A.; Tao, W. Andy; Pérez, John C.

    2012-01-01

    Interactions with exposed subendothelial extracellular proteins and cellular integrins (endothelial cells, platelets and lymphocytes) can cause alterations in the hemostatic system associated with atherothrombotic processes. Many molecules found in snake venoms induce pathophysiological changes in humans, cause edema, hemorrhage, and necrosis. Disintegrins are low molecular weight, non-enzymatic proteins found in snake venom that mediate changes by binding to integrins of platelets or other cells and prevent binding of the natural ligands such as fibrinogen, fibronectin or vitronectin. Disintegrins are of great biomedical importance due to their binding affinities resulting in the inhibition of platelet aggregation, adhesion of cancer cells, and induction of signal transduction pathways. RT-PCR was used to obtain a 216 bp disintegrin cDNA from a C. s. scutulatus snake venom gland. The cloned recombinant disintegrin called r-mojastin 1 codes for 71 amino acids, including 12 cysteines, and an RGD binding motif. r-Mojastin 1 inhibited platelet adhesion to fibronectin with an IC50 of 58.3 nM and ADP-induced platelet aggregation in whole blood with an IC50 of 46 nM. r-Mojastin 1 was also tested for its ability to inhibit platelet ATP release using PRP resulting with an IC50 of 95.6 nM. MALDI-TOF mass spectrum analysis showed that r-mojastin has a mass of 7.9509 kDa. PMID:20598348

  12. Cytotoxicity and cytochrome P450 inhibitory activities of Clinacanthus nutans.

    PubMed

    Quah, Suk Yen; Chin, Jin Han; Akowuah, Gabriel Akyirem; Khalivulla, Shaik Ibrahim; Yeong, Siew Wei; Sabu, Mandumpal Chacko

    2017-03-01

    Clinacanthus nutans Lindau (family: Acanthaceae), also known as "Sabah Snake Grass" or "Belalai Gajah" in Malaysia, has been widely used by Malaysians due to its anticancer property. However, the anticancer activity of C. nutans leaves extract and its safe use need to be further investigated. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of methanol leaves extract of C. nutans in various human cancer cell lines and to evaluate the in vitro effect of C. nutans leaves on the activity of CYP3A4 and CYP2E1 in human liver microsomes. The cytotoxic effects of methanol extract of C. nutans leaves in various cancer cell lines (Hep-G2, A549, HT-29, MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and CRL 1739) and normal cells (3T3) were determined using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) cell proliferation assay. The activities of CYP3A4 and CYP2E1 were determined using simple spectrophotometric methods. Results obtained showed that the methanol extract of C. nutans leaves exhibited the highest cytotoxic effect against Hep-G2 cell lines (liver cancer) (IC50=13.33 μg/mL), followed by breast cancer oestrogen negative (MDA-MB-231) (IC50 of 18.67 μg/mL). Methanol leaves extract of C. nutans showed significant inhibition (p<0.05) in CYP3A4 and CYP2E1 activity in human liver microsomes. In conclusion, methanol leaves extract of C. nutans exhibited the highest cytotoxic activity against liver cancer cells (Hep-G2). There is a possibility that herb-drug interaction could occur with C. nutans through inhibitory effects on CYP3A4. Additionally, inhibition of C. nutans on CYP2E1 could show anti-carcinogenesis effects in human liver microsomes.

  13. A Lactose-Binding Lectin from the Marine Sponge Cinachyrella Apion (Cal) Induces Cell Death in Human Cervical Adenocarcinoma Cells

    PubMed Central

    Rabelo, Luciana; Monteiro, Norberto; Serquiz, Raphael; Santos, Paula; Oliveira, Ruth; Oliveira, Adeliana; Rocha, Hugo; Morais, Ana Heloneida; Uchoa, Adriana; Santos, Elizeu

    2012-01-01

    Cancer represents a set of more than 100 diseases, including malignant tumors from different locations. Strategies inducing differentiation have had limited success in the treatment of established cancers. Marine sponges are a biological reservoir of bioactive molecules, especially lectins. Several animal and plant lectins were purified with antitumor activity, mitogenic, anti-inflammatory and antiviral, but there are few reports in the literature describing the mechanism of action of lectins purified from marine sponges to induce apoptosis in human tumor cells. In this work, a lectin purified from the marine sponge Cinachyrella apion (CaL) was evaluated with respect to its hemolytic, cytotoxic and antiproliferative properties, besides the ability to induce cell death in tumor cells. The antiproliferative activity of CaL was tested against HeLa, PC3 and 3T3 cell lines, with highest growth inhibition for HeLa, reducing cell growth at a dose dependent manner (0.5–10 µg/mL). Hemolytic activity and toxicity against peripheral blood cells were tested using the concentration of IC50 (10 µg/mL) for both trials and twice the IC50 for analysis in flow cytometry, indicating that CaL is not toxic to these cells. To assess the mechanism of cell death caused by CaL in HeLa cells, we performed flow cytometry and western blotting. Results showed that lectin probably induces cell death by apoptosis activation by pro-apoptotic protein Bax, promoting mitochondrial membrane permeabilization, cell cycle arrest in S phase and acting as both dependent and/or independent of caspases pathway. These results indicate the potential of CaL in studies of medicine for treating cancer. PMID:22690140

  14. Novel triazolothiadiazines act as potent anticancer agents in liver cancer cells through Akt and ASK-1 proteins.

    PubMed

    Aytaç, Peri S; Durmaz, Irem; Houston, Douglas R; Çetin-Atalay, Rengül; Tozkoparan, Birsen

    2016-02-15

    Newly designed triazolothiadiazines incorporating with structural motifs of nonsteroidal analgesic anti-inflammatory drugs were synthesized and screened for their bioactivity against epithelial cancer cells. Compounds with bioactivities less then ∼5μM (IC50) were further analyzed and showed to induce apoptotic cell death and SubG1 cell cycle arrest in liver cancer cells. Among this group, two compounds (1g and 1h) were then studied to identify the mechanism of action. These molecules triggered oxidative stress induced apoptosis through ASK-1 protein activation and Akt protein inhibition as demonstrated by downstream targets such as GSK3β, β-catenin and cyclin D1. QSAR and molecular docking models provide insight into the mechanism of inhibition and indicate the optimal direction of future synthetic efforts. Furthermore, molecular docking results were confirmed with in vitro COX bioactivity studies. This study demonstrates that the novel triazolothiadiazine derivatives are promising drug candidates for epithelial cancers, especially liver cancer. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  15. Immobilization of silver nanoparticles in Zr-based MOFs: induction of apoptosis in cancer cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Han, Congcong; Yang, Jian; Gu, Jinlou

    2018-03-01

    Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are a potential class of nanomaterial for antibiosis and chemotherapeutic effects against human carcinoma cells. However, the DNA-damaging ability of free AgNPs pose the critical issues in their biomedical applications. Herein, we demonstrated a facile method to capture Ag+ ions and reduce them into active AgNPs within Zr-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) of UiO-66 with a mild reductant of DMF (AgNPs@UiO-66(DMF)). The average diameters of UiO-66 carriers and AgNPs were facilely controlled to be 140 and 10 nm, respectively. The obtained UiO-66 nanocarriers exhibited excellent biocompatibility and could be effectively endocytosed by cancer cells. Additionally, the AgNPs@UiO-66(DMF) could rapidly release Ag+ ions and efficiently inhibit the growth of cancer cells. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of the encapsulated AgNPs were calculated to be 2.7 and 2.45 μg mL-1 for SMMC-7721 and HeLa cells, respectively, which were much lower than those of free AgNPs in the reported works. Therefore, the developed AgNPs@UiO-66(DMF) not only maintained the therapeutic effect against cancer cells but also reduced the dosage of free AgNPs in chemotherapy treatment. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  16. Phenformin Induces Cell Cycle Change, Apoptosis, and Mesenchymal-Epithelial Transition and Regulates the AMPK/mTOR/p70s6k and MAPK/ERK Pathways in Breast Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Zhao; Ren, Lidong; Liu, Chenghao; Xia, Tiansong; Zha, Xiaoming; Wang, Shui

    2015-01-01

    Breast cancer remains a world-wide challenge, and additional anti-cancer therapies are still urgently needed. Emerging evidence has demonstrated the potent anti-tumor effect of biguanides, among which phenformin was reported to potentially be a more active anti-cancer agent than metformin. However, little attention has been given to the role of phenformin in breast cancer. In this study, we reveal the role of phenformin in cell death of the MCF7, ZR-75-1, MDA-MB-231 and SUM1315 breast cancer cell lines. The respective IC50 values of phenformin in MCF7, ZR-75-1, MDA-MB-231 and SUM1315 cells were 1.184±0.045 mM, 0.665±0.007 mM, 2.347±0.010 mM and 1.885±0.015 mM (mean± standard error). Phenformin induced cell cycle change and apoptosis in breast cancer cells via the AMPK/mTOR/p70s6k and MAPK/ERK pathways. Interestingly, phenformin induced MET (mesenchymal-epithelial transition) and decreased the migration rate in breast cancer cell lines. Furthermore, our results suggest that phenformin inhibits breast cancer cell metastasis after intracardiac injection into nude mice. Taken together, our study further confirms the potential benefit of phenformin in breast cancer treatment and provides novel mechanistic insight into its anti-cancer activity in breast cancer. PMID:26114294

  17. TRX-E-002-1 Induces c-Jun-Dependent Apoptosis in Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells and Prevents Recurrence In Vivo.

    PubMed

    Alvero, Ayesha B; Heaton, Andrew; Lima, Eydis; Pitruzzello, Mary; Sumi, Natalia; Yang-Hartwich, Yang; Cardenas, Carlos; Steinmacher, Sahra; Silasi, Dan-Arin; Brown, David; Mor, Gil

    2016-06-01

    Chemoresistance is a major hurdle in the management of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer and is responsible for its high mortality. Studies have shown that chemoresistance is due to the presence of a subgroup of cancer cells with stemness properties and a high capacity for tumor repair. We have developed a library of super-benzopyran analogues to generate potent compounds that can induce cell death in chemoresistant cancer stem cells. TRX-E-002-1 is identified as the most potent analogue and can induce cell death in all chemoresistant CD44(+)/MyD88(+) ovarian cancer stem cells tested (IC50 = 50 nmol/L). TRX-E-002-1 is also potent against spheroid cultures formed from cancer stem cells, chemosensitive CD44(-)/MyD88(-) ovarian cancer cells, and heterogeneous cultures of ovarian cancer cells. Cell death was associated with the phosphorylation and increased levels of c-Jun and induction of caspases. In vivo, TRX-E-002-1 given as daily intraperitoneal monotherapy at 100 mg/kg significantly decreased intraperitoneal tumor burden compared with vehicle control. When given in combination with cisplatin, animals receiving the combination of cisplatin and TRX-E-002-1 showed decreased tumor burden compared with each monotherapy. Finally, TRX-E-002-1 given as maintenance treatment after paclitaxel significantly delayed disease recurrence. Our results suggest that TRX-E-002-1 may fill the current need for better therapeutic options in the control and management of recurrent ovarian cancer and may help improve patient survival. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(6); 1279-90. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

  18. Phenformin Induces Cell Cycle Change, Apoptosis, and Mesenchymal-Epithelial Transition and Regulates the AMPK/mTOR/p70s6k and MAPK/ERK Pathways in Breast Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Liu, Zhao; Ren, Lidong; Liu, Chenghao; Xia, Tiansong; Zha, Xiaoming; Wang, Shui

    2015-01-01

    Breast cancer remains a world-wide challenge, and additional anti-cancer therapies are still urgently needed. Emerging evidence has demonstrated the potent anti-tumor effect of biguanides, among which phenformin was reported to potentially be a more active anti-cancer agent than metformin. However, little attention has been given to the role of phenformin in breast cancer. In this study, we reveal the role of phenformin in cell death of the MCF7, ZR-75-1, MDA-MB-231 and SUM1315 breast cancer cell lines. The respective IC50 values of phenformin in MCF7, ZR-75-1, MDA-MB-231 and SUM1315 cells were 1.184±0.045 mM, 0.665±0.007 mM, 2.347±0.010 mM and 1.885±0.015 mM (mean± standard error). Phenformin induced cell cycle change and apoptosis in breast cancer cells via the AMPK/mTOR/p70s6k and MAPK/ERK pathways. Interestingly, phenformin induced MET (mesenchymal-epithelial transition) and decreased the migration rate in breast cancer cell lines. Furthermore, our results suggest that phenformin inhibits breast cancer cell metastasis after intracardiac injection into nude mice. Taken together, our study further confirms the potential benefit of phenformin in breast cancer treatment and provides novel mechanistic insight into its anti-cancer activity in breast cancer.

  19. Curcumin Enhances the Effect of Chemotherapy against Colorectal Cancer Cells by Inhibition of NF-κB and Src Protein Kinase Signaling Pathways

    PubMed Central

    Shakibaei, Mehdi; Mobasheri, Ali; Lueders, Cora; Busch, Franziska; Shayan, Paviz; Goel, Ajay

    2013-01-01

    Objective Development of treatment resistance and adverse toxicity associated with classical chemotherapeutic agents highlights the need for safer and effective therapeutic approaches. Herein, we examined the effectiveness of a combination treatment regimen of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and curcumin in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. Methods Wild type HCT116 cells and HCT116+ch3 cells (complemented with chromosome 3) were treated with curcumin and 5-FU in a time- and dose-dependent manner and evaluated by cell proliferation assays, DAPI staining, transmission electron microscopy, cell cycle analysis and immunoblotting for key signaling proteins. Results The individual IC50 of curcumin and 5-FU were approximately 20 µM and 5 µM in HCT116 cells and 5 µM and 1 µM in HCT116+ch3 cells, respectively (p<0.05). Pretreatment with curcumin significantly reduced survival in both cells; HCT116+ch3 cells were considerably more sensitive to treatment with curcumin and/or 5-FU than wild-type HCT116 cells. The IC50 values for combination treatment were approximately 5 µM and 1 µM in HCT116 and 5 µM and 0.1 µM in HCT116+ch3, respectively (p<0.05). Curcumin induced apoptosis in both cells by inducing mitochondrial degeneration and cytochrome c release. Cell cycle analysis revealed that the anti-proliferative effect of curcumin and/or 5-FU was preceded by accumulation of CRC cells in the S cell cycle phase and induction of apoptosis. Curcumin potentiated 5-FU-induced expression or cleavage of pro-apoptotic proteins (caspase-8, -9, -3, PARP and Bax), and down-regulated anti-apoptotic (Bcl-xL) and proliferative (cyclin D1) proteins. Although 5-FU activated NF-κB/PI-3K/Src pathway in CRC cells, this was down-regulated by curcumin treatment through inhibition of IκBα kinase activation and IκBα phosphorylation. Conclusions Combining curcumin with conventional chemotherapeutic agents such as 5-FU could provide more effective treatment strategies against chemoresistant colon cancer cells. The mechanisms involved may be mediated via NF-κB/PI-3K/Src pathways and NF-κB regulated gene products. PMID:23451189

  20. Pterostilbene induces apoptosis through caspase activation in ovarian cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Dong, J; Guo, H; Chen, Y

    2016-01-01

    Pterostilbene, an analog of resveratrol increasing bioavailability has shown to offer antioxidant and anticancer properties in vitro and in vivo. Dietary compounds with anti-oxidant properties have been shown to gain importance due to therapeutic applications. In addition, compounds with higher bioavailability levels show great interest in present scenario. Thus, the present study aimed at investigating the cytotoxic role of pterostilbene and its mechanism of cell death in ovarian cancer cells line. The effect of pterostilbene was determined on SKOV-3 cells, by cytotoxicity assays, oxidative stress levels, [Ca2+]i levels, mitochondrial depolarization, cell cycle analysis and caspase 3, 8, and 9 activities. The study revealed that pterostilbene offered cytotoxic effect at a concentration of IC50-55 uM. Further, pterostilbene induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediated intrinsic pathway of apoptosis through enhancing oxidative stress, [Ca2+]i levels, mitochondrial depolarization, Sub G1 accumulation, and activation of caspase 3 and 9. The study demonstrates for the first time the cytotoxic potential of pterostilbene against ovarian cancer cells.

  1. Polyphenol-rich extract of Pimenta dioica berries (Allspice) kills breast cancer cells by autophagy and delays growth of triple negative breast cancer in athymic mice

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Lei; Shamaladevi, Nagarajarao; Jayaprakasha, Guddadarangavvanahally K.; Patil, Bhimu S.; Lokeshwar, Bal L.

    2015-01-01

    Bioactive compounds from edible plants have limited efficacy in treating advanced cancers, but they have potential to increase the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs in a combined treatment. An aqueous extract of berries of Pimenta dioica (Allspice) shows promise as one such candidate for combination therapy or chemoprevention. An aqueous extract of Allspice (AAE) was tested against human breast cancer (BrCa) cells in vitro and in vivo. AAE reduced the viability and clonogenic growth of several types of BrCa cells (IC50 ≤ 100 μg/ml) with limited toxicity in non-tumorigenic, quiescent cells (IC50 >200 μg/ml). AAE induced cytotoxicity in BrCa was inconsistent with apoptosis, but was associated with increased levels of autophagy markers LC3B and LC3B-positive puncta. Silencing the expression of autophagy related genes (ATGs) prevented AAE-induced cell death. Further, AAE caused inhibition of Akt/mTOR signaling, and showed enhanced cytotoxicity when combined with rapamycin, a chemotherapy drug and an inhibitor of mTOR signaling. Oral administration (gavage) of AAE into athymic mice implanted with MDA-MB231 tumors inhibited tumor growth slightly but not significantly (mean decrease ~ 14%, p ≥ 0.20) if mice were gavaged post-tumor implant. Tumor growth showed a significant delay (38%) in tumor palpability and growth rate (time to reach tumor volume ≥ 1,000 mm3) when mice were pre-dosed with AAE for two weeks. Analysis of tumor tissues showed increased levels of LC3B in AAE treated tumors, indicating elevated autophagic tumor cell death in vivo in treated mice. These results demonstrate antitumor and chemo-preventive activity of AAE against BrCa and potential for adjuvant to mTOR inhibition. PMID:25945840

  2. Ibrutinib (ImbruvicaTM) potently inhibits ErbB receptor phosphorylation and cell viability of ErbB2-positive breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Grabinski, Nicole; Ewald, Florian

    2014-12-01

    Ibrutinib (formerly PCI-32765) is a specific, irreversible, and potent inhibitor of Burton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) developed for the treatment of several forms of blood cancer. It is now an FDA-approved drug marketed under the name Imbruvica(TM) (Pharmacyclics, Inc.) and successfully used as an orally administered second-line drug in the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma. Since BTK is predominantly expressed in hematopoietic cells, the sensitivity of solid tumor cells to Ibrutinib has not been analyzed. In this study, we determined the effect of Ibrutinib on breast cancer cells. We demonstrate that Ibrutinib efficiently reduces the phosphorylation of the receptor tyrosine kinases ErbB1, ErbB2 and ErbB3, thereby suppressing AKT and MAPK signaling in ErbB2-positive (ErbB2+) breast cancer cell lines. Treatment with Ibrutinib significantly reduced the viability of ErbB2+ cell lines with IC50 values at nanomolar concentrations, suggesting therapeutic potential of Ibrutinib in breast cancer. Combined treatment with Ibrutinib and the dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor BEZ235 synergistically reduces cell viability of ErbB2+ breast cancer cells. Combination indices below 0.25 at 50% inhibition of cell viability were determined by the Chou-Talalay method. Therefore, the combination of Ibrutinib and canonical PI3K pathway inhibitors could be a new and effective approach in the treatment of breast cancer with activated ErbB receptors. Ibrutinib could thus become a valuable component of targeted therapy in aggressive ErbB2+ breast cancer.

  3. The Effects of Tumor Treating Fields and Temozolomide in MGMT Expressing and Non-Expressing Patient-Derived Glioblastoma Cells

    PubMed Central

    Clark, Paul A.; Gaal, Jordan T; Strebe, Joslyn K.; Pasch, Cheri A; Deming, Dustin A; Kuo, John S.; Robins, H. Ian

    2016-01-01

    A recent Phase 3 study of newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM) demonstrated the addition of Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) to temozolomide (TMZ) after combined radiation/TMZ significantly increased survival and progression free survival. Preliminary data suggested benefit with both methylated and unmethylated O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyl-transferase (MGMT) promoter status. To date, however, there have been no studies to address the potential interactions of TTFields and TMZ. Thus, the effects of TTFields and TMZ were studied in vitro using patient-derived GBM stem-like cells (GSCs) including MGMT expressing (TMZ resistant:12.1 and 22 GSC) and non-MGMT expressing (TMZ sensitive:33 and 114 GSC) lines. Dose-response curves were constructed using cell proliferation and sphere-forming assays. Results demonstrated a ≥10-fold increase in TMZ resistance of MGMT-expressing (12.1 GSCs: IC50=160 μM; 22 GSCs: IC50=44 μM) compared to MGMT non-expressing (33 GSCs: IC50=1.5 μM; 114 GSCs: IC50=5.2 μM) lines. TTFields inhibited 12.1 GSC proliferation at all tested doses (50-500 kHz) with an optimal frequency of 200 kHz. At 200 kHz, TTFields inhibited proliferation and tumor sphere formation of both MGMT GSC subtypes at comparable levels (12.1 GSC: 74±2.9% and 38±3.2%, respectively; 22 GSC: 61±11% and 38±2.6%, respectively; 33 GSC: 56±9.5% and 60±7.1%, respectively; 114 GSC: 79± 3.5% and 41±4.3%, respectively). In combination, TTFields (200 kHz) and TMZ showed an additive anti-neoplastic effect with equal efficacy for TTFields in both cell types (i.e., +/- MGMT expression) with no effect on TMZ resistance. This is the first demonstration of the effects of TTFields on cancer stem cells. The expansion of such studies may have clinical implications. PMID:27865821

  4. STAT3 signaling pathway is necessary for cell survival and tumorsphere forming capacity in ALDH{sup +}/CD133{sup +} stem cell-like human colon cancer cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lin, Li, E-mail: lin.796@osu.edu; Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030; Fuchs, James

    2011-12-16

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The phosphorylated or activated form of STAT3 was expressed in colon cancer stem-like cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer STAT3 inhibitor, FLLL32 inhibits P-STAT3 and STAT3 target genes in colon cancer stem-like cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Inhibition of STAT3 resulted in decreased cell viability and reduced numbers of tumorspheres. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer STAT3 is required for survival and tumorsphere forming capacity in colon cancer stem-like cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Targeting STAT3 in cancer stem-like cells may offer a novel treatment approach for colon cancer. -- Abstract: Persistent activation of Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription 3 (STAT3) is frequently detected in colon cancer. Increasing evidence suggests the existencemore » of a small population of colon cancer stem or cancer-initiating cells may be responsible for tumor initiation, metastasis, and resistance to chemotherapy and radiation. Whether STAT3 plays a role in colon cancer-initiating cells and the effect of STAT3 inhibition is still unknown. Flow cytometry was used to isolate colon cancer stem-like cells from three independent human colon cancer cell lines characterized by both aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH)-positive and CD133-positive subpopulation (ALDH{sup +}/CD133{sup +}). The effects of STAT3 inhibition in colon cancer stem-like cells were examined. The phosphorylated or activated form of STAT3 was expressed in colon cancer stem-like cells and was reduced by a STAT3-selective small molecular inhibitor, FLLL32. FLLL32 also inhibited the expression of potential STAT3 downstream target genes in colon cancer stem-like cells including survivin, Bcl-XL, as well as Notch-1, -3, and -4, which may be involved in stem cell function. Furthermore, FLLL32 inhibited cell viability and tumorsphere formation as well as induced cleaved caspase-3 in colon cancer stem-like cells. FLLL32 is more potent than curcumin as evidenced with lower IC50 in colon cancer stem-like cells. In summary, our results indicate that STAT3 is a novel therapeutic target in colon cancer stem-like cells and inhibition of STAT3 in cancer stem-like cells may offer a potential treatment for colorectal cancer.« less

  5. DUPA conjugation of a cytotoxic indenoisoquinoline topoisomerase I inhibitor for selective prostate cancer cell targeting.

    PubMed

    Roy, Jyoti; Nguyen, Trung Xuan; Kanduluru, Ananda Kumar; Venkatesh, Chelvam; Lv, Wei; Reddy, P V Narasimha; Low, Philip S; Cushman, Mark

    2015-04-09

    Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is overexpressed in most prostate cancer cells while being present at low or undetectable levels in normal cells. This difference provides an opportunity to selectively deliver cytotoxic drugs to prostate cancer cells while sparing normal cells that lack PSMA, thus improving potencies and reducing toxicities. PSMA has high affinity for 2-[3-(1,3-dicarboxypropyl)ureido]pentanedioic acid (DUPA) (Ki = 8 nM). After binding to a DUPA-drug conjugate, PSMA internalizes, unloads the conjugate, and returns to the surface. In the present studies, an indenoisoquinoline topoisomerase I inhibitor was conjugated to DUPA via a peptide linker and a drug-release segment that facilitates intracellular cleavage to liberate the drug cargo. The DUPA-indenoisoquinoline conjugate exhibited an IC50 in the low nanomolar range in 22RV1 cell cultures and induced a complete cessation of tumor growth with no toxicity, as determined by loss of body weight and death of treated mice.

  6. Synthesis, spectral characterization, molecular structure and pharmacological studies of N'-(1, 4-naphtho-quinone-2yl) isonicotinohyWdrazide

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kavitha Rani, P. R.; Fernandez, Annette; George, Annie; Remadevi, V. K.; Sudarsanakumar, M. R.; Laila, Shiny P.; Arif, Muhammed

    2015-01-01

    A simple and efficient procedure was employed for the synthesis of N'-(1,4-naphtho-quinone-2-yl) isonicotinohydrazide (NIH) by the reaction of 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthaquinone (lawsone) and isonicotinoyl hydrazine in methanol using ultrasonic irradiation. Lawsone is the principal dye, isolated from the leaves of henna (Lawsonia inermis). Structural modification was done on the molecule aiming to get a more active derivative. The structure of the parent compound and the derivative was characterized by elemental analyses, infrared, electronic, 1H, 13C NMR and GC-MS spectra. The fluorescence spectral investigation of the compound was studied in DMSO and ethanol. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies reveal that NIH crystallizes in monoclinic space group. The DNA cleavage study was monitored by gel electrophoresis method. The synthesized compound was found to have significant antioxidant activity against DPPH radical (IC50 = 58 μM). The in vitro cytotoxic studies of the derivative against two human cancer cell lines MCF-7 (human breast cancer) and HCT-15 (human colon carcinoma cells) using MTT assay revealed that the compound exhibited higher cytotoxic activity with a lower IC50 value indicating its efficiency in killing the cancer cells even at low concentrations. These results suggest that the structural modifications performed on lawsone could be considered a good strategy to obtain a more active drug.

  7. Cytotoxic withanolides from Physalis angulata L.

    PubMed

    He, Qing-Ping; Ma, Lei; Luo, Jie-Ying; He, Fu-Yuan; Lou, Li-Guang; Hu, Li-Hong

    2007-03-01

    Four new withanolides, physagulins L-O (1-4), were isolated from the MeOH extract of the aerial parts of Physalis angulata L. (Solanaceae), together with seven known withanolides, compounds 5-11. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic techniques, including 1H-, 13C-NMR (DEPT), and 2D-NMR (HMBC, HMQC, 1H,1H-COSY, NOESY) experiments, as well as by HR-MS. All eleven compounds were tested for their antiproliferative activities towards human colorectal-carcinoma (HCT-116) and human non-small-cell lung-cancer (NCI-H460) cells. Compound 5 exhibited the highest anticancer activity against the HCT-116 cell line, with an IC50 value of 1.64+/-0.06 microM. Compound 9 exhibited the highest cytotoxicity towards the NCI-H460 cell line, with an IC50 value of 0.43+/-0.02 microM.

  8. Development of a novel class of B-RafV600E-selective inhibitors through virtual screening and hierarchical hit optimization

    PubMed Central

    Kong, Xiangqian; Qin, Jie; Li, Zeng; Vultur, Adina; Tong, Linjiang; Feng, Enguang; Rajan, Geena; Liu, Shien; Lu, Junyan; Liang, Zhongjie; Zheng, Mingyue; Zhu, Weiliang; Jiang, Hualiang; Herlyn, Meenhard; Liu, Hong; Marmorstein, Ronen; Luo, Cheng

    2012-01-01

    Oncogenic mutations in critical nodes of cellular signaling pathways have been associated with tumorigenesis and progression. The B-Raf protein kinase, a key hub in the canonical MAPK signaling cascade, is mutated in a broad range of human cancers and especially in malignant melanoma. The most prevalent B-RafV600E mutant exhibits elevated kinase activity and results in constitutive activation of the MAPK pathway, thus making it a promising drug target for cancer therapy. Herein, we described the development of novel B-RafV600E selective inhibitors via multi-step virtual screening and hierarchical hit optimization. Nine hit compounds with low micromolar IC50 values were identified as B-RafV600E inhibitors through virtual screening. Subsequent scaffold-based analogue searching and medicinal chemistry efforts significantly improved both the inhibitor potency and oncogene selectivity. In particular, compounds 22f and 22q possess nanomolar IC50 values with selectivity for B-RafV600E in vitro and exclusive cytotoxicity against B-RafV600E harboring cancer cells. PMID:22875039

  9. Differential Inhibition of Water and Ion Channel Activities of Mammalian Aquaporin-1 by Two Structurally Related Bacopaside Compounds Derived from the Medicinal Plant Bacopa monnieri.

    PubMed

    Pei, Jinxin V; Kourghi, Mohamad; De Ieso, Michael L; Campbell, Ewan M; Dorward, Hilary S; Hardingham, Jennifer E; Yool, Andrea J

    2016-10-01

    Aquaporin-1 (AQP1) is a major intrinsic protein that facilitates flux of water and other small solutes across cell membranes. In addition to its function as a water channel in maintaining fluid homeostasis, AQP1 also acts as a nonselective cation channel gated by cGMP, a property shown previously to facilitate rapid cell migration in a AQP1-expressing colon cancer cell line. Here we report two new modulators of AQP1 channels, bacopaside I and bacopaside II, isolated from the medicinal plant Bacopa monnieri Screening was conducted in the Xenopus oocyte expression system, using quantitative swelling and two-electrode voltage clamp techniques. Results showed bacopaside I blocked both the water (IC50 117 μM) and ion channel activities of AQP1 but did not alter AQP4 activity, whereas bacopaside II selectively blocked the AQP1 water channel (IC50 18 μM) without impairing the ionic conductance. These results fit with predictions from in silico molecular modeling. Both bacopasides were tested in migration assays using HT29 and SW480 colon cancer cell lines, with high and low levels of AQP1 expression, respectively. Bacopaside I (IC50 48 μM) and bacopaside II (IC50 14 μM) impaired migration of HT29 cells but had minimal effect on SW480 cell migration. Our results are the first to identify differential AQP1 modulators isolated from a medicinal plant. Bacopasides could serve as novel lead compounds for pharmaceutic development of selective aquaporin modulators. Copyright © 2016 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

  10. Phytoconstituents with Radical Scavenging and Cytotoxic Activities from Diospyros shimbaensis

    PubMed Central

    Aronsson, Per; Munissi, Joan J. E.; Gruhonjic, Amra; Fitzpatrick, Paul A.; Landberg, Göran; Nyandoro, Stephen S.; Erdelyi, Mate

    2016-01-01

    As part of our search for natural products having antioxidant and anticancer properties, the phytochemical investigation of Diospyros shimbaensis (Ebenaceae), a plant belonging to a genus widely used in East African traditional medicine, was carried out. From its stem and root barks the new naphthoquinone 8,8′-oxo-biplumbagin (1) was isolated along with the known tetralones trans-isoshinanolone (2) and cis-isoshinanolone (3), and the naphthoquinones plumbagin (4) and 3,3′-biplumbagin (5). Compounds 2, 4, and 5 showed cytotoxicity (IC50 520–82.1 μM) against MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Moderate to low cytotoxicity was observed for the hexane, dichloromethane, and methanol extracts of the root bark (IC50 16.1, 29.7 and > 100 μg/mL, respectively), and for the methanol extract of the stem bark (IC50 59.6 μg/mL). The radical scavenging activity of the isolated constituents (1–5) was evaluated on the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay. The applicability of the crude extracts and of the isolated constituents for controlling degenerative diseases is discussed. PMID:28933383

  11. Rasfonin, a novel 2-pyrone derivative, induces ras-mutated Panc-1 pancreatic tumor cell death in nude mice

    PubMed Central

    Xiao, Z; Li, L; Li, Y; Zhou, W; Cheng, J; Liu, F; Zheng, P; Zhang, Y; Che, Y

    2014-01-01

    Rasfonin is a novel 2-pyrone derivative reported to induce apoptosis in ras-dependent cells. In this study, its effects on ras-mutated pancreatic cancer cells were investigated in vitro and in vivo. Two human pancreatic cancer cell lines Panc-1 (mutated K-ras) and BxPC-3 (wild-type K-ras) were selected to test the effects of rasfonin on cell proliferation, clone formation, migration and invasion in vitro. Immunoblotting was used to detect the expressions of EGFR–Ras–Raf–MEK–ERK signaling pathway proteins. Ras activity was measured using a pull-down ELISA kit and guanine exchange factor (GEF)/GTPase-activating proteins (GAP) activity was measured by [3H]-GDP radiometric ligand binding. For an in vivo study, CD1 nude mice bearing Panc-1 cells were treated with rasfonin or Salirasib (FTS). We found that rasfonin suppressed proliferation more strongly in Panc-1 cells (IC50=5.5 μM) than BxPC-3 cells (IC50=10 μM) in vitro. Clone formation, migration and invasion by Panc-1 cells were also reduced by rasfonin. Rasfonin had little effect on the farnesylation of Ras, but it strongly downregulated Ras activity and consequently phosphorylation of c-Raf/MEK/ERK. Further experiments indicated that rasfonin reduced Son of sevenless (Sos1) expression but did not alter GEF and GAP activities. The in vivo experiments also revealed that rasfonin (30 mg/kg) delayed the growth of xenograft tumors originating from Panc-1 cells. Tumor weight was ultimately decreased after 20 days of treatment of rasfonin. Rasfonin is a robust inhibitor of pancreatic cancers with the K-ras mutation. The reduction of Sos1 expression and the consequently depressed Ras–MAPK activity could be important in its anticancer activity. PMID:24853419

  12. Rasfonin, a novel 2-pyrone derivative, induces ras-mutated Panc-1 pancreatic tumor cell death in nude mice.

    PubMed

    Xiao, Z; Li, L; Li, Y; Zhou, W; Cheng, J; Liu, F; Zheng, P; Zhang, Y; Che, Y

    2014-05-22

    Rasfonin is a novel 2-pyrone derivative reported to induce apoptosis in ras-dependent cells. In this study, its effects on ras-mutated pancreatic cancer cells were investigated in vitro and in vivo. Two human pancreatic cancer cell lines Panc-1 (mutated K-ras) and BxPC-3 (wild-type K-ras) were selected to test the effects of rasfonin on cell proliferation, clone formation, migration and invasion in vitro. Immunoblotting was used to detect the expressions of EGFR-Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK signaling pathway proteins. Ras activity was measured using a pull-down ELISA kit and guanine exchange factor (GEF)/GTPase-activating proteins (GAP) activity was measured by [(3)H]-GDP radiometric ligand binding. For an in vivo study, CD1 nude mice bearing Panc-1 cells were treated with rasfonin or Salirasib (FTS). We found that rasfonin suppressed proliferation more strongly in Panc-1 cells (IC50=5.5 μM) than BxPC-3 cells (IC50=10 μM) in vitro. Clone formation, migration and invasion by Panc-1 cells were also reduced by rasfonin. Rasfonin had little effect on the farnesylation of Ras, but it strongly downregulated Ras activity and consequently phosphorylation of c-Raf/MEK/ERK. Further experiments indicated that rasfonin reduced Son of sevenless (Sos1) expression but did not alter GEF and GAP activities. The in vivo experiments also revealed that rasfonin (30 mg/kg) delayed the growth of xenograft tumors originating from Panc-1 cells. Tumor weight was ultimately decreased after 20 days of treatment of rasfonin. Rasfonin is a robust inhibitor of pancreatic cancers with the K-ras mutation. The reduction of Sos1 expression and the consequently depressed Ras-MAPK activity could be important in its anticancer activity.

  13. Antiproliferative activity, antioxidant capacity and tannin content in plants of semi-arid northeastern Brazil.

    PubMed

    Gomes de Melo, Joabe; de Sousa Araújo, Thiago Antônio; Thijan Nobre de Almeida e Castro, Valérium; Lyra de Vasconcelos Cabral, Daniela; do Desterro Rodrigues, Maria; Carneiro do Nascimento, Silene; Cavalcanti de Amorim, Elba Lúcia; de Albuquerque, Ulysses Paulino

    2010-11-24

    The objective of this study was to evaluate antiproliferative activity, antioxidant capacity and tannin content in plants from semi-arid northeastern Brazil (Caatinga). For this study, we selected 14 species and we assayed the methanol extracts for antiproliferative activity against the HEp-2 (laryngeal cancer) and NCI-H292 (lung cancer) cell lines using the (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazole) (MTT) method. In addition, the antioxidant activity was evaluated with the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) assay, and the tannin content was determined by the radial diffusion method. Plants with better antioxidant activity (expressed in a dose able to decrease the initial DPPH concentration by 50%, or IC50) and with higher levels of tannins were: Poincianella pyramidalis (42.95±1.77 µg/mL IC50 and 8.17±0.64 tannin content), Jatropha mollissima (54.09±4.36µg/mL IC50 and 2.35±0.08 tannin content) and Anadenanthera colubrina (73.24±1.47 µg/mL IC50 and 4.41±0.47 tannin content). Plants with enhanced antiproliferative activity (% living cells) were Annona muricata (24.94±0.74 in NCI-H292), Lantana camara (25.8±0.19 in NCI-H292), Handroanthus impetiginosus (41.8±0.47 in NCI-H292) and Mentzelia aspera (45.61±1.94 in HEp-2). For species with better antioxidant and antiproliferative activities, we suggest future in vitro and in vivo comparative studies with other pharmacological models, and to start a process of purification and identification of the possible molecule(s) responsible for the observed pharmacological activity. We believe that the flora of Brazilian semi-arid areas can be a valuable source of plants rich in tannins, cytotoxic compounds and antioxidant agents.

  14. Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase-α Inhibitor TOFA Induces Human Cancer Cell Apoptosis

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Chun; Xu, Canxin; Sun, Mingwei; Luo, Dixian; Liao, Duan-fang; Cao, Deliang

    2009-01-01

    Acetyl-CoA carboxylase-α (ACCA) is a rate-limiting enzyme in long chain fatty acid synthesis, playing a critical role in cellular energy storage and lipid synthesis. ACCA is upregulated in multiple types of human cancers and small interfering RNA-mediated ACCA silencing in human breast and prostate cancer cells results in oxidative stress and apoptosis. This study reports for the first time that TOFA (5-tetradecyloxy-2-furoic acid), an allosteric inhibitor of ACCA, is cytotoxic to lung cancer cells NCI-H460 and colon carcinoma cells HCT-8 and HCT-15, with an IC50 at approximately 5.0, 5.0, and 4.5 μg/ml, respectively. TOFA at 1.0–20.0 μg/ml effectively blocked fatty acid synthesis and induced cell death in a dose-dependent manner. The cell death was characterized with PARP cleavage, DNA fragmentation, and annexin-V staining, all of which are the features of the apoptosis. Supplementing simultaneously the cells with palmitic acids (100 μM), the end-products of the fatty acid synthesis pathway, prevented the apoptosis induced by TOFA. Taken together, these data suggest that TOFA is a potent cytotoxic agent to lung and colon cancer cells, inducing apoptosis through disturbing their fatty acid synthesis. PMID:19450551

  15. Chemical composition and anticancer, antiinflammatory, antioxidant and antimalarial activities of leaves essential oil of Cedrelopsis grevei.

    PubMed

    Afoulous, Samia; Ferhout, Hicham; Raoelison, Emmanuel Guy; Valentin, Alexis; Moukarzel, Béatrice; Couderc, François; Bouajila, Jalloul

    2013-06-01

    The essential oil from Cedrelopsis grevei leaves, an aromatic and medicinal plant from Madagascar, is widely used in folk medicine. Essential oil was characterized by GC-MS and quantified by GC-FID. Sixty-four components were identified. The major constituents were: (E)-β-farnesene (27.61%), δ-cadinene (14.48%), α-copaene (7.65%) and β-elemene (6.96%). The essential oil contained a complex mixture consisting mainly sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (83.42%) and generally sesquiterpenes (98.91%). The essential oil was tested cytotoxic (on human breast cancer cells MCF-7), antimalarial (Plasmodium falciparum), antiinflammatory and antioxidant (ABTS and DPPH assays) activities. C. grevei essential oil was active against MCF-7 cell lines (IC50=21.5 mg/L), against P. falciparum, (IC50=17.5mg/L) and antiinflammatory (IC50=21.33 mg/L). The essential oil exhibited poor antioxidant activity against DPPH (IC50>1000 mg/L) and ABTS (IC50=110 mg/L) assays. A bibliographical review was carried out of all essential oils identified and tested with respect to antiplasmodial, anticancer and antiinflammatory activities. The aim was to establish correlations between the identified compounds and their biological activities (antiplasmodial, anticancer and antiinflammatory). According to the obtained correlations, 1,4-cadinadiene (R(2)=0.61) presented a higher relationship with antimalarial activity. However, only (Z)-β-farnesene (R(2)=0.73) showed a significant correlation for anticancer activity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Sechium edule (Jacq.) Swartz, a New Cultivar with Antiproliferative Potential in a Human Cervical Cancer HeLa Cell Line

    PubMed Central

    Salazar-Aguilar, Sandra; Ruiz-Posadas, Lucero del Mar; Cadena-Iñiguez, Jorge; Santiago-Osorio, Edelmiro; Aguiñiga-Sánchez, Itzen; Rivera-Martínez, Ana Rocío; Aguirre-Medina, Juan Francisco

    2017-01-01

    The Sechium edule Perla Negra cultivar is a recently-obtained biological material whose progenitors are S. edule var. nigrum minor and S. edule var. amarus silvestrys, the latter of which has been reported to have antiproliferative activity against the HeLa P-388 and L-929 cancer cell lines. The present study aimed to determine if the methanolic extract of the fruit of the Perla Negra cultivar had the same biological activity. The methanolic extract was phytochemically characterized by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and column chromatography (CC), identifying the terpenes and flavonoids. The compounds identified via high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were Cucurbitacins B, D, E, and I for the terpene fractions, and Rutin, Phlorizidin, Myricetin, Quercetin, Naringenin, Phloretin, Apigenin, and Galangin for the flavonoid fractions). Biological activity was evaluated with different concentrations of the methanolic extract in the HeLa cell line and normal lymphocytes. The methanolic extract inhibited the proliferation of HeLa cells (IC50 1.85 µg·mL−1), but the lymphocytes were affected by the extract (IC50 30.04 µg·mL−1). Some fractions, and the pool of all of them, showed inhibition higher than 80% at a concentration of 2.11 µg·mL−1. Therefore, the biological effect shown by the methanolic extract of the Perla Negra has some specificity in inhibiting tumor cells and not normal cells; an unusual feature among molecules investigated as potential biomedical agents. PMID:28757593

  17. Brazilian red propolis induces apoptosis-like cell death and decreases migration potential in bladder cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Begnini, Karine Rech; Moura de Leon, Priscila Marques; Thurow, Helena; Schultze, Eduarda; Campos, Vinicius Farias; Martins Rodrigues, Fernanda; Borsuk, Sibele; Dellagostin, Odir Antônio; Savegnago, Lucielli; Roesch-Ely, Mariana; Moura, Sidnei; Padilha, Francine F; Collares, Tiago; Pêgas Henriques, João Antonio; Seixas, Fabiana Kömmling

    2014-01-01

    Natural products continue to be an invaluable resource of anticancer drug discovery in recent years. Propolis is known for its biological activities such as antimicrobial and antitumor effects. This study assessed the effects of Brazilian red propolis (BRP) on apoptosis and migration potential in human bladder cancer cells. The effect of BRP ethanolic extract (25, 50, and 100 μg/mL) on 5637 cells was determined by MTT, LIVE/DEAD, and migration (scratch assay) assays. Apoptosis induction was investigated through flow cytometry and gene expression profile was investigated by qRT-PCR. Results showed cytotoxicity on MTT and LIVE/DEAD assays, with IC50 values of 95 μg/mL in 24 h of treatment. Cellular migration of 5637 cells was significantly inhibited through lower doses of BRP ethanolic extract (25 and 50 μg/mL). Flow cytometry analyses showed that BRP induced cytotoxicity through apoptosis-like mechanisms in 5637 cells and qRT-PCR revealed increased levels of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, p53, AIF, and antioxidant enzymes genes. Data suggest that BRP may be a potential source of drugs to bladder cancer treatment.

  18. Brazilian Red Propolis Induces Apoptosis-Like Cell Death and Decreases Migration Potential in Bladder Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Begnini, Karine Rech; Moura de Leon, Priscila Marques; Thurow, Helena; Schultze, Eduarda; Campos, Vinicius Farias; Borsuk, Sibele; Dellagostin, Odir Antônio; Savegnago, Lucielli; Moura, Sidnei; Padilha, Francine F.; Pêgas Henriques, João Antonio; Seixas, Fabiana Kömmling

    2014-01-01

    Natural products continue to be an invaluable resource of anticancer drug discovery in recent years. Propolis is known for its biological activities such as antimicrobial and antitumor effects. This study assessed the effects of Brazilian red propolis (BRP) on apoptosis and migration potential in human bladder cancer cells. The effect of BRP ethanolic extract (25, 50, and 100 μg/mL) on 5637 cells was determined by MTT, LIVE/DEAD, and migration (scratch assay) assays. Apoptosis induction was investigated through flow cytometry and gene expression profile was investigated by qRT-PCR. Results showed cytotoxicity on MTT and LIVE/DEAD assays, with IC50 values of 95 μg/mL in 24 h of treatment. Cellular migration of 5637 cells was significantly inhibited through lower doses of BRP ethanolic extract (25 and 50 μg/mL). Flow cytometry analyses showed that BRP induced cytotoxicity through apoptosis-like mechanisms in 5637 cells and qRT-PCR revealed increased levels of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, p53, AIF, and antioxidant enzymes genes. Data suggest that BRP may be a potential source of drugs to bladder cancer treatment. PMID:25530785

  19. A Novel 96well-formatted Micro-gap Plate Enabling Drug Response Profiling on Primary Tumour Samples

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, Wei-Yuan; Hsiung, Lo-Chang; Wang, Chen-Ho; Chiang, Chi-Ling; Lin, Ching-Hung; Huang, Chiun-Sheng; Wo, Andrew M.

    2015-04-01

    Drug-based treatments are the most widely used interventions for cancer management. Personalized drug response profiling remains inherently challenging with low cell count harvested from tumour sample. We present a 96well-formatted microfluidic plate with built-in micro-gap that preserves up to 99.2% of cells during multiple assay/wash operation and only 9,000 cells needed for a single reagent test (i.e. 1,000 cells per test spot x 3 selected concentration x triplication), enabling drug screening and compatibility with conventional automated workstations. Results with MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines showed that no statistical significance was found in dose-response between the device and conventional 96-well plate control. Primary tumour samples from breast cancer patients tested in the device also showed good IC50 prediction. With drug screening of primary cancer cells must consider a wide range of scenarios, e.g. suspended/attached cell types and rare/abundant cell availability, the device enables high throughput screening even for suspended cells with low cell count since the signature microfluidic cell-trapping feature ensures cell preservation in a multiple solution exchange protocol.

  20. The Role of Monocarboxylate Transporters and Their Chaperone CD147 in Lactate Efflux Inhibition and the Anticancer Effects of Terminalia chebula in Neuroblastoma Cell Line N2-A

    PubMed Central

    Messeha, S. S.; Zarmouh, N. O.; Taka, E.; Gendy, S. G.; Shokry, G. R.; Kolta, M. G.; Soliman, K. F. A.

    2016-01-01

    Aims In the presence of oxygen, most of the synthesized pyruvate during glycolysis in the cancer cell of solid tumors is released away from the mitochondria to form lactate (Warburg Effect). To maintain cell homeostasis, lactate is transported across the cell membrane by monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs). The major aim of the current investigation is to identify novel compounds that inhibit lactate efflux that may lead to identifying effective targets for cancer treatment. Study Design In this study, 900 ethanol plant extracts were screened for their lactate efflux inhibition using neuroblastoma (N2-A) cell line. Additionally, we investigated the mechanism of inhibition for the most potent plant extract regarding monocarboxylate transporters expression, and consequences effects on viability, growth, and apoptosis. Methodology The potency of lactate efflux inhibition of ethanol plant extracts was evaluated in N2-A cells by measuring extracellular lactate levels. Caspase 3- activity and acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining were performed to assess the apoptotic effect. The antiproliferative effect was measured using WST assay. Western blotting was performed to quantify protein expression of MCTs and their chaperone CD147 in treated cells lysates. Results Terminalia chebula plant extract was the most potent lactate efflux inhibitor in N2-A cells among the 900 - tested plant extracts. The results obtained show that extract of Terminalia chebula fruits (TCE) significantly (P = 0.05) reduced the expression of the MCT1, MCT3, MCT4 and the chaperone CD147. The plant extract was more potent (IC50 of 3.59 ± 0.26 μg/ml) than the MCT standard inhibitor phloretin (IC50 76.54 ± 3.19 μg/ml). The extract also showed more potency and selective cytotoxicity in cancer cells than DI-TNC1 primary cell line (IC50 7.37 ± 0.28 vs. 17.35 ± 0.19 μg/ml). Moreover, TCE Inhibited N2-A cell growth (IG50 = 5.20 ± 0.30 μg/ml) and induced apoptosis at the 7.5 μg/ml concentration. Conclusion Out of the 900 plant extracts screened, Terminalia chebula ethanol extract was found to be the most potent lactate efflux inhibitor with the ability to inhibit chaperone CD147 expression and impact the function of monocarboxylate transporters. Furthermore, TCE was found to have growth inhibition and apoptotic effects. The results obtained indicate that Terminalia chebula constituent(s) may contain promising compounds that can be useful in the management of neuroblastoma cancer. PMID:27158628

  1. Discovery of a novel inhibitor of kinesin-like protein KIFC1.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Wei; Zhai, Ling; Wang, Yimin; Boohaker, Rebecca J; Lu, Wenyan; Gupta, Vandana V; Padmalayam, Indira; Bostwick, Robert J; White, E Lucile; Ross, Larry J; Maddry, Joseph; Ananthan, Subramaniam; Augelli-Szafran, Corinne E; Suto, Mark J; Xu, Bo; Li, Rongbao; Li, Yonghe

    2016-04-15

    Historically, drugs used in the treatment of cancers also tend to cause damage to healthy cells while affecting cancer cells. Therefore, the identification of novel agents that act specifically against cancer cells remains a high priority in the search for new therapies. In contrast with normal cells, most cancer cells contain multiple centrosomes which are associated with genome instability and tumorigenesis. Cancer cells can avoid multipolar mitosis, which can cause cell death, by clustering the extra centrosomes into two spindle poles, thereby enabling bipolar division. Kinesin-like protein KIFC1 plays a critical role in centrosome clustering in cancer cells, but is not essential for normal cells. Therefore, targeting KIFC1 may provide novel insight into selective killing of cancer cells. In the present study, we identified a small-molecule KIFC1 inhibitor, SR31527, which inhibited microtubule (MT)-stimulated KIFC1 ATPase activity with an IC50 value of 6.6 μM. By using bio layer interferometry technology, we further demonstrated that SR31527 bound directly to KIFC1 with high affinity (Kd=25.4 nM). Our results from computational modelling and saturation-transfer difference (STD)-NMR experiments suggest that SR31527 bound to a novel allosteric site of KIFC1 that appears suitable for developing selective inhibitors of KIFC1. Importantly, SR31527 prevented bipolar clustering of extra centrosomes in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells and significantly reduced TNBC cell colony formation and viability, but was less toxic to normal fibroblasts. Therefore, SR31527 provides a valuable tool for studying the biological function of KIFC1 and serves as a potential lead for the development of novel therapeutic agents for breast cancer treatment. © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

  2. Chrysin reduces proliferation and induces apoptosis in the human prostate cancer cell line pc-3.

    PubMed

    Samarghandian, Saeed; Afshari, Jalil Tavakkol; Davoodi, Saeideh

    2011-01-01

    Honey is a common household product with many medicinal uses described in traditional medicine. Only recently has its antioxidant properties and preventive effects against disease been highlighted. Chrysin is a natural flavone commonly found in honey that has been shown to be an antioxidant agent. In this study, we investigated the antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of honey and chrysin on cultured human prostate cancer cells. Cells were cultured in RPMI medium and treated with different concentrations of honey and chrysin for three consecutive days. Cell viability was quantitated by the 3-(4, 5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The percentage of apoptotic cells was determined by flow cytometry using Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate. The MTT assay revealed that both compounds had an antiproliferative effect on PC-3 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The IC50 values for honey and chrysin against PC-3 cells were 2.5% and 24.5% after 48 h and 1.8% and 8.5% after 72 h, respectively. Chrysin induced apoptosis in PC-3 cells, as determined by flow cytometry. Our results suggest that honey has anti-proliferative effects on prostate cancer cells and the effects are mainly due to chrysin. Therefore, chrysin may be a potential compound for both cancer prevention and treatment. Further in vivo investigation is needed to support the use of chrysin in cancer therapy.

  3. Effective growth-suppressive activity of maternal embryonic leucine-zipper kinase (MELK) inhibitor against small cell lung cancer.

    PubMed

    Inoue, Hiroyuki; Kato, Taigo; Olugbile, Sope; Tamura, Kenji; Chung, Suyoun; Miyamoto, Takashi; Matsuo, Yo; Salgia, Ravi; Nakamura, Yusuke; Park, Jae-Hyun

    2016-03-22

    Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK), that plays a critical role in maintenance of cancer stem cells (CSCs), is predominantly expressed in various types of human cancer including small cell lung cancer (SCLC). SCLC usually acquires resistance to anti-cancer drugs and portends dismal prognosis. We have delineated roles of MELK in development/progression of SCLC and examined anti-tumor efficacy of OTS167, a highly potent MELK inhibitor, against SCLC. MELK expression was highly upregulated in both SCLC cell lines and primary tumors. siRNA-mediated MELK knockdown induced significant growth inhibition in SCLC cell lines. Concordantly, treatment with OTS167 exhibited strong cytotoxicity against eleven SCLC cell lines with IC50 of < 10 nM. As similar to siRNA knockdown, OTS167 treatment induced cytokinetic defects with intercellular bridges, and in some cell lines we observed formation of neuronal protrusions accompanied with increase of a neuronal differentiation marker (CD56), indicating that the compound induced differentiation of cancer cells to neuron-like cells. Furthermore, the MELK inhibition decreased its downstream FOXM1 activity and Akt expression in SCLC cells, and led to apoptotic cell death. OTS167 appeared to be more effective to CSCs as measured by the sphere formation assay, thus MELK inhibition might become a promising treatment modality for SCLC.

  4. Effective growth-suppressive activity of maternal embryonic leucine-zipper kinase (MELK) inhibitor against small cell lung cancer

    PubMed Central

    Inoue, Hiroyuki; Kato, Taigo; Olugbile, Sope; Tamura, Kenji; Chung, Suyoun; Miyamoto, Takashi; Matsuo, Yo; Salgia, Ravi; Nakamura, Yusuke; Park, Jae-Hyun

    2016-01-01

    Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK), that plays a critical role in maintenance of cancer stem cells (CSCs), is predominantly expressed in various types of human cancer including small cell lung cancer (SCLC). SCLC usually acquires resistance to anti-cancer drugs and portends dismal prognosis. We have delineated roles of MELK in development/progression of SCLC and examined anti-tumor efficacy of OTS167, a highly potent MELK inhibitor, against SCLC. MELK expression was highly upregulated in both SCLC cell lines and primary tumors. siRNA-mediated MELK knockdown induced significant growth inhibition in SCLC cell lines. Concordantly, treatment with OTS167 exhibited strong cytotoxicity against eleven SCLC cell lines with IC50 of < 10 nM. As similar to siRNA knockdown, OTS167 treatment induced cytokinetic defects with intercellular bridges, and in some cell lines we observed formation of neuronal protrusions accompanied with increase of a neuronal differentiation marker (CD56), indicating that the compound induced differentiation of cancer cells to neuron-like cells. Furthermore, the MELK inhibition decreased its downstream FOXM1 activity and Akt expression in SCLC cells, and led to apoptotic cell death. OTS167 appeared to be more effective to CSCs as measured by the sphere formation assay, thus MELK inhibition might become a promising treatment modality for SCLC. PMID:26871945

  5. Cucurbitacin B purified from Ecballium elaterium (L.) A. Rich from Tunisia inhibits α5β1 integrin-mediated adhesion, migration, proliferation of human glioblastoma cell line and angiogenesis.

    PubMed

    Touihri-Barakati, Imen; Kallech-Ziri, Olfa; Ayadi, Wiem; Kovacic, Hervé; Hanchi, Belgacem; Hosni, Karim; Luis, José

    2017-02-15

    Integrins are essential protagonists in the complex multistep process of cancer progression and are thus attractive targets for the development of anticancer agents. Cucurbitacin B, a triterpenoid purified from the leaves of Tunisian Ecballium elaterium exhibited an anticancer effect and displayed anti-integrin activity on human glioblastoma U87 cells, without being cytotoxic at concentrations up to 500nM. Here we show that cucurbitacin B affected the adhesion and migration of U87 cells to fibronectin in a dose-dependent manner with IC50 values of 86.2nM and 84.6nM, respectively. Time-lapse videomicroscopy showed that cucurbitacin B significantly reduced U87 cells motility and affected directional persistence. Cucurbitacin B also inhibited proliferation with IC50 value of 70.1nM using Crystal Violet assay. Moreover, cucurbitacin B efficiently inhibited in vitro human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC) angiogenesis with concentration up to 10nM. Interestingly, we demonstrate for the first time that this effect was specifically mediated by α5β1 integrins. These findings reveal a novel mechanism of action for cucurbitacin B, which displays a potential interest as a specific anti-integrin drug. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Phytochemicals from Mangifera pajang Kosterm and their biological activities.

    PubMed

    Ahmad, Sadikah; Sukari, Mohd Aspollah; Ismail, Nurussaadah; Ismail, Intan Safinar; Abdul, Ahmad Bustamam; Abu Bakar, Mohd Fadzelly; Kifli, Nurolaini; Ee, Gwendoline C L

    2015-03-26

    Mangifera pajang Kosterm is a plant species from the mango family (Anacardiaceae). The fruits are edible and have been reported to have high antioxidant content. However, the detailed phytochemical studies of the plant have not been reported previously. This study investigates the phytochemicals and biological activities of different parts of Mangifera pajang. The plant samples were extracted with solvents of different polarity to obtain the crude extracts. The isolated compounds were characterized using spectroscopic methods. The extracts and isolated compounds were subjected to cytotoxicity tests using human breast cancer (MCF-7), human cervical cancer (HeLa) and human colon cancer (HT-29) cells. The free radical scavenging activity test was conducted using the DPPH assay. Antimicrobial activity tests were carried out by using the disc diffusion method. Phytochemical investigation on the kernel, stem bark and leaves of Mangifera pajang led to the isolation of methyl gallate (1), mixture of benzaldehyde (2) and benzyl alcohol (3), mangiferonic acid (4), 3β-hydroxy-cycloart-24-ene-26-oic acid (5), 3β,23-dihydroxy-cycloart-24-ene-26-oic acid (6), lupeol(7) lupenone(8), β-sitosterol(9), stigmasterol(10), trans-sobrerol(11) and quercitrin (12). Crude ethyl acetate and methanol extracts from the kernel indicated strong cytotoxic activity towards MCF-7 and HeLa cells with IC50 values of less than 10 μg/mL, while petroleum ether, chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts of the stem bark showed strong to moderate activity against MCF-7, HeLa and HT-29 cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 5 to 30 μg/mL. As for the antimicrobial assays, only the ethyl acetate and methanol extracts from the kernel displayed some inhibition against the microbes in the antibacterial assays. The kernel extracts showed highest free radical scavenging activity with IC50 values of less than 10 μg/mL, while the ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of leaves displayed only weak activity in the DPPH assays. Phytochemical investigations on various parts of Mangifera pajang have identified terpenoids and a flavonol derivative as major constituents. Bioassay studies have indicated that the crude extracts and isolated compounds have potential as naturally-derived anticancer and antimicrobial agents, besides possess high free radical scavenging activity.

  7. Escin Chemosensitizes Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells and Inhibits the Nuclear Factor-kappaB Signaling Pathway

    PubMed Central

    Rimmon, A.; Vexler, A.; Berkovich, L.; Earon, G.; Ron, I.; Lev-Ari, S.

    2013-01-01

    Background. There is an urgent need to develop new treatment strategies and drugs for pancreatic cancer that is highly resistant to radio-chemotherapy. Aesculus hippocastanum (the horse chestnut) known in Chinese medicine as a plant with anti-inflammatory, antiedema, antianalgesic, and antipyretic activities. The main active compound of this plant is Escin (C54H84O23). Objective. To evaluate the effect of Escin alone and combined with chemotherapy on pancreatic cancer cell survival and to unravel mechanism(s) of Escin anticancer activity. Methods. Cell survival was measured by XTT colorimetric assay. Synergistic effect of combined therapy was determined by CalcuSyn software. Cell cycle and induction of apoptosis were evaluated by FACS analysis. Expression of NF-κB-related proteins (p65, IκBα, and p-IκBα) and cyclin D was evaluated by western blot analysis. Results. Escin decreased the survival of pancreatic cancer cells with IC50 = 10–20 M. Escin combined with gemcitabine showed only additive effect, while its combination with cisplatin resulted in a significant synergistic cytotoxic effect in Panc-1 cells. High concentrations of Escin induced apoptosis and decreased NF-κB-related proteins and cyclin D expression. Conclusions. Escin decreased pancreatic cancer cell survival, induced apoptosis, and downregulated NF-κB signaling pathway. Moreover, Escin sensitized pancreatic cancer cells to chemotherapy. Further translational research is required. PMID:24282639

  8. Inhibition of Bladder Cancer by Broccoli Isothiocyanates Sulforaphane and Erucin: Characterization, Metabolism and Interconversion

    PubMed Central

    Abbaoui, Besma; Riedl, Kenneth M; Ralston, Robin A; Thomas-Ahner, Jennifer M; Schwartz, Steven J; Clinton, Steven K; Mortazavi, Amir

    2013-01-01

    Epidemiologic evidence suggests diets rich in cruciferous vegetables, particularly broccoli, are associated with lower bladder cancer risk. Our objectives are to investigate these observations and determine the role of isothiocyanates in primary or secondary bladder cancer prevention. We initially investigate the mechanisms whereby broccoli and broccoli sprout extracts and pure isothiocyanates inhibit normal, non-invasive (RT4) and invasive (J82, UMUC3) human urothelial cell viability. Sulforaphane (IC50= 5.66±1.2μM) and erucin (IC50= 8.79±1.3μM) are found to be the most potent inhibitors and normal cells are least sensitive. This observation is associated with downregulation of survivin, EGFR and HER2/neu, G2/M cell cycle accumulation and apoptosis. In a murine UMUC3 xenograft model, we fed semipurified diets containing 4% broccoli sprouts, or 2% broccoli sprout isothiocyanate extract; or gavaged pure sulforaphane or erucin (each at 295 μmol/kg, similar to dietary exposure); and report tumor weight reduction of 42% (p=0.02), 42% (p=0.04), 33% (p=0.04) and 58% (p<0.0001), respectively. Sulforaphane and erucin metabolites are present in mouse plasma (micromolar range) and tumor tissue, with N-acetyl cysteine conjugates as the most abundant. Interconversion of sulforaphane and erucin metabolites was observed. This work supports development of fully characterized, novel food products for phase I/II human studies targeting bladder cancer prevention. PMID:23038615

  9. Platinum folate nanoparticles toxicity: cancer vs. normal cells.

    PubMed

    Mironava, Tatsiana; Simon, Marcia; Rafailovich, Miriam H; Rigas, Basil

    2013-03-01

    Almost for two decades metallic nanoparticles are successfully used for cancer detection, imaging and treatment. Due to their high electron density they can be easily observed by electron microscopy and used in laser and radiofrequency therapy as energy releasing agents. However, the limitation for this practice is an inability to generate tumor-specific heating in a minimally invasive manner to the healthy tissue. To overcome this restraint we proposed to use folic acid coated metallic nanoparticles and determine whether they preferentially penetrate cancer cells. We developed technique for synthesizing platinum nanoparticles using folic acid as stabilizing agent which produced particles of relatively narrow size distribution, having d=2.3 ± 0.5 nm. High resolution TEM and zeta potential analysis indicated that the particles produced by this method had a high degree of crystalline order with no amorphous outer shell and a high degree of colloidal stability. The keratinocytes and mammary breast cells (cancer and normal) were incubated with platinum folate nanoparticles, and the results showed that the IC50 was significantly higher for the normal cells than the cancer cells in both cases, indicating that these nanoparticles preferentially target the cancer cells. TEM images of thin sections taken from the two types of cells indicated that the number of vacuoles and morphology changes after incubation with nanoparticles was also larger for the cancer cells in both types of tissue studied. No preferential toxicity was observed when folic acid receptors were saturated with free folic acid prior to exposure to nanoparticles. These results confirm our hypothesis regarding the preferential penetration of folic acid coated nanoparticles to cancer cells due to receptor mediated endocytosis. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  10. Inhibitory activity of Lingzhi or Reishi medicinal mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum (higher Basidiomycetes) on transformed cells by human papillomavirus.

    PubMed

    Hernández-Márquez, Eva; Lagunas-Martínez, Alfredo; Bermudez-Morales, Victor H; Burgete-García, Ana I; León-Rivera, Ismael; Montiel-Arcos, Elizur; García-Villa, Enrique; Gariglio, Patricio; Madrid-Marina V, Vicente; Ondarza-Vidaurreta, Raul N

    2014-01-01

    In this study, we investigated the effects of the aqueous extracts of Lingzhi or Reishi medicinal mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum, obtained from three localities (China; and Morelos and Michoacan, Mexico) on cervical cells transformed by human papillomavirus (HeLa and SiHa) and C-33A cancer cells. The cells were plated in DMEM medium supplemented, and were incubated in the presence of different concentrations of G. lucidum for 24 h. Cell proliferation was determined by MTT colorimetric assay and viability by trypan blue assay. Inhibitory dose was determined (IC50) of the three different extracts of G. lucidum in the culture cell lines mentioned above. The apoptosis process was confirmed by nuclear DNA fragmentation and the cell cycle was determined by flow cytometry. The results showed that aqueous extracts G. lucidum obtained from three localities produced inhibition in the proliferation of VPH transformed cells; they also induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in HeLa, SiHa, and C-33A cancer cells. Therefore, it was found that aqueous extracts G. lucidum obtained from three different locations produced inhibitory effect on cancer cells and may have a potential therapeutic use for the prevention and treatment of this disease.

  11. Curcumin in VIP-targeted sterically stabilized phospholipid nanomicelles: a novel therapeutic approach for breast cancer and breast cancer stem cells

    PubMed Central

    Khaja, Fatima; Kuzmis, Antonina; Önyüksel, Hayat

    2013-01-01

    Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the US, with 40 % chance of relapse after treatment. Recent studies outline the role of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in tumor initiation, propagation, and regeneration of cancer. Moreover, it has been established that breast CSCs reside in a quiescent state that makes them more resistant to conventional cancer therapies than bulk cancer cells resulting in tumor relapse. In this study, we establish that CSCs are associated with the overexpression of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) receptors which can be used to actively target these cells. We investigated the potential of using a novel curcumin nanomedicine (C-SSM) surface conjugated with VIP to target and hinder breast cancer with CSCs. Here, we formulated, characterized, and evaluated the feasibility of C-SSM nanomedicine in vitro. We investigated the cytotoxicity of C-SSM on breast cancer cells and CSCs by tumorsphere formation assay. Our results suggest that curcumin can be encapsulated in SSM up to 200 μg/ml with 1 mM lipid concentration. C-SSM nanomedicine is easy to prepare and maintains its original physicochemical properties after lyophilization, with an IC50 that is significantly improved from that of free curcumin (14.2±1.2 vs. 26.1±3.0 μM). Furthermore, C-SSM-VIP resulted in up to 20 % inhibition of tumorsphere formation at a dose of 5 μM. To this end, our findings demonstrate the feasibility of employing our actively targeted nanomedicine as a potential therapy for CSCs-enriched breast cancer. PMID:24363979

  12. [In vitro effect of lupeol and casearin G on peripheral blood mononuclear and tumor cells].

    PubMed

    Dupuy L, Omar A; Bonilla V, José A; Murillo, Renato; Taylor, Peter; Abad, María Jesús; González, Lorena; Juliao A, Johanna

    2013-09-01

    The rainforest is an important source of natural compounds with therapeutic properties. Although there are many anti-inflammatory and antineoplastic drugs available to the clinician, there is an ongoing need for new therapeutic drugs with fewer serious adverse effects. To evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic effects of lupeol and casearin G on tumor cells, on phagocytic activity and nitric oxide (NO) production by blood mononuclear cells. The cytotoxic effect of these compounds on cell lines MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma) and PC-3 (human prostate cancer) was measured by a colorimetric assay (MTS/PMS) and the sulphorhodamine B assay. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were obtained from eight healthy volunteers. The effect of these compounds on nitric oxide (NO) production was measured using the Griess reaction. Their effect on phagocytic activity of PBMC was also evaluated. Lupeol (≥ 2 mM) resulted in a reduction of both the phagocytic index and the percentage of phagocytic monocytes and macrophages. Treatment of monocytes/macrophages with lupeol (72 µM) and casearin G (4 µM) reduced the production of NO. Neither lupeol (< 969 µM) nor casearin G (< 55 µM) had cytotoxic effects on PBMC. Casearin G showed both cytotoxic (IC50, LC50) and cytostatic (GI50) effects against tumor cells, PC-3 (IC50 = 12.5 µM; GI50 = 13.3 µM; LC50 = 51.9 µM) and MCF-7 (IC50 = 112.8 µM; GI50 = 11.8 µM; LC50 = 49.4 µM), as well as a hemolytic effect (≥ 182 µM). These observations indicate that lupeol and casearin G might be useful compounds in the preparation of anti-inflammatory drugs, whereas casearin G might be useful in the elaboration of antitumor drugs.

  13. Enzyme-triggered delivery of chlorambucil from conjugates based on the cell-penetrating peptide BP16.

    PubMed

    Soler, Marta; González-Bártulos, Marta; Figueras, Eduard; Ribas, Xavi; Costas, Miquel; Massaguer, Anna; Planas, Marta; Feliu, Lidia

    2015-02-07

    The undecapeptide KKLFKKILKKL-NH2 (BP16) is a non-toxic cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) that is mainly internalized into cancer cells through a clathrin dependent endocytic mechanism and localizes in late endosomes. Moreover, this CPP is able to enhance the cellular uptake of chlorambucil (CLB) improving its cytotoxicity. In this work, we further explored the cell-penetrating properties of BP16 and those of its arginine analogue BP308. We investigated the influence on the cytotoxicity and on the cellular uptake of conjugating CLB at the N- or the C-terminal end of these undecapeptides. The effect of incorporating the cathepsin B-cleavable sequence Gly-Phe-Leu-Gly in CLB-BP16 and CLB-BP308 conjugates was also evaluated. The activity of CLB was significantly improved when conjugated at the N- or the C-terminus of BP16, or at the N-terminus of BP308. While CLB alone was not active (IC50 of 73.7 to >100 μM), the resulting conjugates displayed cytotoxic activity against CAPAN-1, MCF-7, PC-3, 1BR3G and SKMEL-28 cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 8.7 to 25.5 μM. These results were consistent with the internalization properties observed for the corresponding 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein-labeled conjugates. The presence of the tetrapeptide Gly-Phe-Leu-Gly at either the N- or the C-terminus of CLB-BP16 conjugates further increased the efficacy of CLB (IC50 of 3.6 to 16.2 μM), which could be attributed to its selective release in the lysosomal compartment. Enzymatic assays with cathepsin B showed the release of CLB-Gly-OH from these sequences within a short time. Therefore, the combination of BP16 with an enzymatic cleavable sequence can be used as a drug delivery system for the effective uptake and release of drugs in cancer cells.

  14. The methylene chloride fraction of Trichosanthis Fructus induces apoptosis in U937 cells through the mitochondrial pathway.

    PubMed

    Lee, Eun-Ok; Lee, Ju-Ryoung; Kim, Kwan-Hyun; Baek, Nam-In; Lee, Soo-Jin; Lee, Bog-Hieu; Cho, Kyung-Dong; Ahn, Kyoo-Seok; Kim, Sung-Hoon

    2006-01-01

    Trichosanthis kirilowii MAXIM has been used as a folk remedy to treat diabetes, leukemia, and breast cancer. In the present study, the apoptotic mechanism of the methylene chloride fraction of Trichosanthis Fructus (MCTF) was investigated in human leukemic U937 cells. MCTF exhibited antiproliferative effectsagainst U937 cells (IC50=ca. 8 microg/ml). Apoptotic bodies were observed in MCTF-treated U937 cells in the TUNEL assay. We also confirmed that MCTF significantly increases annexin V(+)/propidium iodide-cells using FACS analysis. MCTF treatment activated caspase-8, -9 and -3, and led to cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase and release of cytochrome c into cytosol in a concentration-dependent manner, while MCTF did not affect Bax or Bcl-2 protein levels as shown by Western blot analysis. Taken together, these results indicate that MCTF can induce apoptosis in U937 cells chiefly via a mitochondrial-mediated pathway and suggest that Trichosanthis Fructus can be used in cancer treatment as a chemopreventive agent.

  15. Increased growth inhibitory effects on human cancer cells and anti-inflammatory potency of shogaols from Zingiber officinale relative to gingerols.

    PubMed

    Sang, Shengmin; Hong, Jungil; Wu, Hou; Liu, Jing; Yang, Chung S; Pan, Min-Hsiung; Badmaev, Vladimir; Ho, Chi-Tang

    2009-11-25

    Ginger, the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale , has received extensive attention because of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor activities. Most researchers have considered gingerols as the active principles and have paid little attention to shogaols, the dehydration products of corresponding gingerols during storage or thermal processing. In this study, we have purified and identified eight major components, including three major gingerols and corresponding shogaols, from ginger extract and compared their anticarcinogenic and anti-inflammatory activities. Our results showed that shogaols ([6], [8], and [10]) had much stronger growth inhibitory effects than gingerols ([6], [8], and [10]) on H-1299 human lung cancer cells and HCT-116 human colon cancer cells, especially when comparing [6]-shogaol with [6]-gingerol (IC50 of approximately 8 versus approximately 150 microM). In addition, we found that [6]-shogaol had much stronger inhibitory effects on arachidonic acid release and nitric oxide (NO) synthesis than [6]-gingerol.

  16. Increased Growth Inhibitory Effects on Human Cancer Cells and Anti-Inflammatory Potency of Shogaols from Zingiber officinale Relative to Gingerols

    PubMed Central

    Sang, Shengmin; Hong, Jungil; Wu, Hou; Liu, Jing; Yang, Chung S.; Pan, Min-Hsiung; Badmaev, Vadimir; Ho, Chi-Tang

    2009-01-01

    Ginger, the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, has received extensive attention due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor activities. Most researchers have considered gingerols as the active principles and have paid little attention to shogaols, the dehydration products of corresponding gingerols during storage or thermal processing. In this study, we have purified and identified eight major components including three major gingerols and corresponding shogaols from ginger extract and compared their anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory activities. Our results showed that shogaols ([6]-, [8]-, and [10]-) had much stronger growth inhibitory effects than gingerols ([6]-, [8]-, and [10]-) on H-1299 human lung cancer cells and HCT-116 human colon cancer cells, especially when comparing [6]-shogaol with [6]-gingerol (IC50: ~8 µM vs. ~150 µM). In addition, we found that [6]-shogaol had much stronger inhibitory effects on arachidonic acid release and nitric oxide (NO) synthesis than [6]-gingerol. PMID:19877681

  17. β4-integrin-mediated cytotoxic activity of AexU in human prostate cancer PC3 cells

    PubMed Central

    KUMANO, MASAFUMI; MIYAKE, HIDEAKI; ABOLGHAIT, SAID K.; BEHNSAWY, HOSNY M.; FUJISAWA, MASATO

    2013-01-01

    The present study aimed to characterize the cytotoxic activity of AexU, an effector-mediating type three secretion system (TTSS) of gram-negative bacteria, in human prostate cancer cells, focusing on the association with β4-integrin expression. The cytotoxic effects of AexU either alone or in combination with chemotherapeutic agents were evaluated using several human prostate cancer cell lines. Human prostate cancer PC3 cells, in which an expression vector containing siRNA targeting β4-integrin had been introduced, were established (PC3/sh-In), and the cytotoxic effects of AexU on the PC3/sh-In cells were compared with the PC3 cells that were transfected with a control vector (PC3/C). The expression levels of β4-integrin in the PC3 cells were markedly higher compared with those in the LNCaP or DU145 cells, and the cytotoxic effects of AexU in the PC3 cells were more pronounced compared with those in the LNCaP or DU145 cells. The sensitivity of the PC3 cells to docetaxel and cisplatin was significantly enhanced following treatment with AexU, resulting in a decrease in the IC50 of the two agents by ~90%. The cytotoxic effect of AexU in the PC3/C cells was more marked compared with that in the PC3/sh-In cells, and the phosphorylation of Akt in the PC3/C cells appeared to be significantly more inhibited by the treatment with AexU compared with the PC3/sh-In cells. In conclusion, treatment with AexU may be a useful therapeutic option for prostate cancer when β4-integrin is overexpressed. The treatment appears to exert its effects through growth inhibition and by enhancing the sensitivity of the cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents. PMID:24179545

  18. Dihydroartemisinin increases temozolomide efficacy in glioma cells by inducing autophagy

    PubMed Central

    ZHANG, ZE-SHUN; WANG, JING; SHEN, YOU-BI; GUO, CHENG-CHENG; SAI, KE; CHEN, FU-RONG; MEI, XIN; HAN, FU; CHEN, ZHONG-PING

    2015-01-01

    Artemisinin, a powerful antimalarial medicine, is extracted from the Chinese herb, Artemisia annua L., and has the ability to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells. Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), the major active metabolite of artemisinin, is able to inhibit the growth of a variety of types of human cancer. However, the effect of DHA on human glioma cells remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of DHA on the proliferation of glioma cells, and whether DHA was able to enhance temozolomide (TMZ) sensitivity in vitro and in vivo. In total, 10 human glioma cell lines were used to analyze the growth inhibition ability of DHA by MTT assay. The typical autophagic vacuoles were monitored by the application of the autofluorescent agent, monodansylcadaverine. Western blotting was used to detect markers of apoptosis and autophagy, namely Caspase-3, Beclin-1 and LC3-B. The combination efficiency of DHA and TMZ was assessed in vitro and in vivo. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of DHA differed among the ten human glioma cell lines. The number of autophagic vacuoles was higher in DHA-treated SKMG-4 cells; this was highest of all cell lines analyzed. The expression of autophagy molecular markers, Beclin-1 and LC3-B, was increased following DHA treatment, while no significant alteration was detected in the expression of apoptotic marker Caspase-3. When combined with DHA, the IC50 of TMZ decreased significantly in the four glioma cell lines analyzed. Furthermore, DHA enhanced the tumor inhibition ability of TMZ in tumor-burdened mice. The results of the present study demonstrated that DHA inhibited the proliferation of glioma cells and enhanced the tumor inhibition efficacy of TMZ in vitro and in vivo through the induction of autophagy. PMID:26171034

  19. Combined effect of microRNA, nutraceuticals and drug on pancreatic cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Pandita, Archana; Manvati, Siddharth; Singh, Shashank K; Vaishnavi, Samantha; Bamezai, Rameshwar N K

    2015-05-25

    We proposed to investigate the combination effect of microRNA, nutraceuticals and drug (MND), in two pancreatic cancer cell lines to assess the therapeutic potential. MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1 cells transfected with miR-101 or miR-24-2 were treated with Betulinic acid or Thymoquinone and gemcitabine independently and in combination and assessed for the extent of synergism in both experimental and control conditions, considering significance at the p value of <0.05. miR-101 or miR-24-2 over-expressing cells when treated with lower than IC50 doses of the dietary compounds and drug showed a reduced (37-50%) viability in two cell lines with differential synergistic effect and the outcome for Pro-caspase3, Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage and PKM2 expression. Two independent microRNA backgrounds showed promise in therapeutic intervention of gemcitabine sensitive, MIA PaCa-2 and resistant, PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells, in combination with dietary agents and drug. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. RGD based peptide amphiphiles as drug carriers for cancer targeting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saraf, Poonam S.

    Specific interactions of ligands with receptors is one of the approaches for active targeting of anticancer drugs to cancer cells. Over expression of integrin receptors is a physiological manifestation in several cancers and is associated with cancer progression and metastasis, which makes it an attractive target for cancer chemotherapy. The peptide sequence for this integrin recognition is the Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD). Self-assembly offers a unique way of presenting ligands to target receptors for recognition and binding. This study focuses on development of integrin specific peptide amphiphile self-assemblies as carriers for targeted delivery of paclitaxel to αvbeta 3 integrin overexpressing cancers. Amphiphiles composed of conjugates of different analogs of RGD (linear, cyclic or glycosylated) and aliphatic fatty acid with or without 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid (ADA) as linker were synthesized and characterized. The amphiphiles exhibited Critical Micellar Concentration in the range of 7-30 μM. Transmission electron microscopy images revealed the formation of spherical micelles in the size range of 10-40 nm. Forster Resonance Energy Transfer studies revealed entrapment of hydrophobic dyes within a tight micellar core and provided information regarding the cargo exchange within micelles. The RGD micelles exhibited competitive binding with 55% displacement of a bound fluorescent probe by the cyclic RGD micelles. The internalization of fluorescein isothiocynate (FITC) loaded RGD micelles was significantly higher in A2058 melanoma cells compared to free FITC within 20 minutes of incubation at 37°C. The same micelles showed significantly lower internalization at 4°C and on pretreatment with 0.45M sucrose confirming endocytotic uptake of the RGD micellar carriers. The IC50 of paclitaxel in A2058 melanoma cells was lower when treated within RGD micelles as compared to treatment of free drug. On the other hand, IC50 values increased by 2 to 9 fold for micellar treatment in comparison to free drug in Detroit 551 cells. In A2058 melanoma xenograft mice model, the Paclitaxel-RGD micelles exhibited a significant inhibition of tumor growth in comparison to control treatment for both alternate day and twice weekly treatments. The studies showed the feasibility of using the non covalent peptide based self-assemblies as vehicles for targeted delivery in cancer.

  1. Potent cytotoxic effects of Calomeria amaranthoides on ovarian cancers.

    PubMed

    van Haaften, Caroline; Duke, Colin C; Weerheim, Arij M; Smit, Nico Pm; van Haard, Paul Mm; Darroudi, Firouz; Trimbos, Baptist Jmz

    2011-03-14

    Ovarian cancer remains the leading cause of death from gynaecological malignancy. More than 60% of the patients are presenting the disease in stage III or IV. In spite of combination of chemotherapy and surgery the prognosis stays poor for therapy regimen. The leaves of a plant endemic to Australia, Calomeria amaranthoides, were extracted and then fractionated by column chromatography. In vitro cytotoxicity tests were performed with fractions of the plant extract and later with an isolated compound on ovarian cancer cell lines, as well as normal fibroblasts at concentrations of 1-100 μg/mL (crude extract) and 1-10 μg/mL (compound). Cytotoxicity was measured after 24, 48 and 72 hours by using a non-fluorescent substrate, Alamar blue.In vivo cytotoxicity was tested on ascites, developed in the abdomen of nude mice after inoculation with human OVCAR3 cells intraperitoneally. The rate of change in abdomen size for the mice was determined by linear regression and statistically evaluated for significance by the unpaired t test. Two compounds were isolated by chromatographic fractionation and identified by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and mass spectrometry analyses, EPD, an α-methylene sesquiterpene lactone of the eremophilanolide subtype, and EPA, an α-methylene carboxylic acid.Cytotoxicity of EPD for normal fibroblasts at all time points IC50 was greater than 10 μg/mL, whereas, for OVCAR3 cells at 48 hours IC50 was 5.3 μg/mL (95% confidence interval 4.3 to 6.5 μg/mL).Both, the crude plant extract as well as EPD killed the cancer cells at a final concentration of 10 μg/mL and 5 μg/mL respectively, while in normal cells only 20% cell killing effect was observed. EPA had no cytotoxic effects.Changes in abdomen size for control versus Cisplatin treated mice were significantly different, P = 0.023, as were control versus EPD treated mice, P = 0.025, whereas, EPD versus Cisplatin treated mice were not significantly different, P = 0.13. For the first time both crude plant extract from Calomeria amaranthoides and EPD have been shown to have potent anti-cancer effects against ovarian cancer.

  2. New cancer cells apoptosis agents: Fluorinated aza-heterocycles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prima, D. O.; Baev, D. S.; Vorontsova, E. V.; Frolova, T. S.; Bagryanskaya, I. Yu.; Slizhov, Yu. G.; Tolstikova, T. G.; Makarov, A. Yu.; Zibarev, A. V.

    2017-09-01

    Fluorinated benzo-fused 1,3-diazoles, 1,2,3-triazoles, 1,2,5-thia/selenadiazoles and 1,4-diazines were synthesized and tried for cytotoxicity towards the Hep2 (laryngeal epidermoid carcinoma) cells. The diazoles, triazoles and selenadiazoles were cytotoxic with IC50 = 2.2-26.4 µM and induced the cells apoptosis at concentrations C = 1-25 µM. At the same time, they were nontoxic towards normal cells. Due to this, these scaffolds were used in the computer-aided molecular design of new antitumor agents. Particularly, novel 1,2,3-triazole and 1,3-diazole derivatives for the binding site of the PAS domain of the transcription factor HIF were designed and some of them synthesized for further study. Overall, new anticancer agents featuring apoptotic activity are suggested.

  3. Inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-induced cyclooxygenase-2 expression and inducible nitric oxide synthase by 4-[(2′-O-acetyl-α-l-rhamnosyloxy)benzyl]isothiocyanate from Moringa oleifera

    PubMed Central

    Park, Eun-Jung; Cheenpracha, Sarot; Chang, Leng Chee; Kondratyuk, Tamara P.; Pezzuto, John M.

    2011-01-01

    Moringa oleifera Lamarack is commonly consumed for nutritional or medicinal properties. We recently reported the isolation and structure elucidation of novel bioactive phenolic glycosides, including 4-[(2′-O-acetyl-α-l-rhamnosyloxy)benzyl]isothiocyanate (RBITC), which was found to suppress inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage cells. Inhibitors of proteins such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and iNOS are potential anti-inflammatory and cancer chemopreventive agents. The inhibitory activity of RBITC on NO production (IC50 = 0.96 ± 0.23 µM) was greater than that mediated by other well-known isothiocyanates such as sulforaphane (IC50 = 2.86 ± 0.39 µM) and benzyl isothiocyanate (IC50 = 2.08 ± 0.28 µM). RBITC inhibited expression of COX-2 and iNOS at both the protein and mRNA levels. Major upstream signaling pathways involved mitogen-activated protein kinases and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). RBITC inhibited phosphorylation of extracellular signal regulated kinase and stress-activated protein kinase, as well as ubiquitin-dependent degradation of inhibitor κBα (IκBα). In accordance with IκBα degradation, nuclear accumulation of NF-κB, and subsequent binding to NF-κB cis-acting element, was attenuated by treatment with RBITC. These data suggest RBITC should be included in the dietary armamentarium of isothiocyanates potentially capable of mediating anti-inflammatory or cancer chemopreventive activity. PMID:21774591

  4. Inhibitor of p52 NF-κB subunit and androgen receptor (AR) interaction reduces growth of human prostate cancer cells by abrogating nuclear translocation of p52 and phosphorylated ARser81

    PubMed Central

    Mehraein-Ghomi, Farideh; Church, Dawn R.; Schreiber, Cynthia L.; Weichmann, Ashley M.; Basu, Hirak S.; Wilding, George

    2015-01-01

    Accumulating evidence shows that androgen receptor (AR) activation and signaling plays a key role in growth and progression in all stages of prostate cancer, even under low androgen levels or in the absence of androgen in the castration-resistant prostate cancer. Sustained activation of AR under androgen-deprived conditions may be due to its interaction with co-activators, such as p52 NF-κB subunit, and/or an increase in its stability by phosphorylation that delays its degradation. Here we identified a specific inhibitor of AR/p52 interaction, AR/p52-02, via a high throughput screen based on the reconstitution of Gaussia Luciferase. We found that AR/p52-02 markedly inhibited growth of both castration-resistant C4-2 (IC50 ∼6 μM) and parental androgen-dependent LNCaP (IC50 ∼4 μM) human prostate cancer cells under low androgen conditions. Growth inhibition was associated with significantly reduced nuclear p52 levels and DNA binding activity, as well as decreased phosphorylation of AR at serine 81, increased AR ubiquitination, and decreased AR transcriptional activity as indicated by decreased prostate-specific antigen (PSA) mRNA levels in both cell lines. AR/p52-02 also caused a reduction in levels of p21WAF/CIP1, which is a direct AR targeted gene in that its expression correlates with androgen stimulation and mitogenic proliferation in prostate cancer under physiologic levels of androgen, likely by disrupting the AR signaling axis. The reduced level of cyclinD1 reported previously for this compound may be due to the reduction in nuclear presence and activity of p52, which directly regulates cyclinD1 expression, as well as the reduction in p21WAF/CIP1, since p21WAF/CIP1 is reported to stabilize nuclear cyclinD1 in prostate cancer. Overall, the data suggest that specifically inhibiting the interaction of AR with p52 and blocking activity of p52 and pARser81 may be an effective means of reducing castration-resistant prostate cancer cell growth. PMID:26622945

  5. Potent cytotoxic effects of Calomeria amaranthoides on ovarian cancers

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Ovarian cancer remains the leading cause of death from gynaecological malignancy. More than 60% of the patients are presenting the disease in stage III or IV. In spite of combination of chemotherapy and surgery the prognosis stays poor for therapy regimen. Methods The leaves of a plant endemic to Australia, Calomeria amaranthoides, were extracted and then fractionated by column chromatography. In vitro cytotoxicity tests were performed with fractions of the plant extract and later with an isolated compound on ovarian cancer cell lines, as well as normal fibroblasts at concentrations of 1-100 μg/mL (crude extract) and 1-10 μg/mL (compound). Cytotoxicity was measured after 24, 48 and 72 hours by using a non-fluorescent substrate, Alamar blue. In vivo cytotoxicity was tested on ascites, developed in the abdomen of nude mice after inoculation with human OVCAR3 cells intraperitoneally. The rate of change in abdomen size for the mice was determined by linear regression and statistically evaluated for significance by the unpaired t test. Results Two compounds were isolated by chromatographic fractionation and identified by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and mass spectrometry analyses, EPD, an α-methylene sesquiterpene lactone of the eremophilanolide subtype, and EPA, an α-methylene carboxylic acid. Cytotoxicity of EPD for normal fibroblasts at all time points IC50 was greater than 10 μg/mL, whereas, for OVCAR3 cells at 48 hours IC50 was 5.3 μg/mL (95% confidence interval 4.3 to 6.5 μg/mL). Both, the crude plant extract as well as EPD killed the cancer cells at a final concentration of 10 μg/mL and 5 μg/mL respectively, while in normal cells only 20% cell killing effect was observed. EPA had no cytotoxic effects. Changes in abdomen size for control versus Cisplatin treated mice were significantly different, P = 0.023, as were control versus EPD treated mice, P = 0.025, whereas, EPD versus Cisplatin treated mice were not significantly different, P = 0.13. Conclusions For the first time both crude plant extract from Calomeria amaranthoides and EPD have been shown to have potent anti-cancer effects against ovarian cancer. PMID:21401934

  6. Evaluating the potential bioactivity of a novel compound ER1626.

    PubMed

    Wang, Lijun; Zeng, Yanyan; Wang, Tianling; Liu, Hongyi; Xiao, Hong; Xiang, Hua

    2014-01-01

    ER1626, a novel compound, is a derivate of indeno-isoquinoline ketone. This study was designed to evaluate the biological activity and potential anti-tumor mechanism of ER1626. MTT assay, scratch assay and flow cytometry were used to determine cell proliferation, cell migration and cell cycle distribution as well as cell apoptosis on human breast cancer MCF-7 cells and endometrial cancer Ishikawa cells. We also explored the antiangiogenic effect of ER1626 on HUVEC cells and chicken embryos. The expression of estrogen receptor protein was investigated with western-blot analysis. ER1626 down-regulated the expression of estrogen receptor α protein and up-regulated β protein in MCF-7 and Ishikawa cells. The value of IC50 of ER1626 on MCF-7 and Ishikawa cells were respectively 8.52 and 3.08 µmol/L. Meanwhile, ER1626 decreased VEGF secretion of MCF-7 and Ishikawa cells, disturbed the formation of VEGF-stimulated tubular structure in HUVEC cells, and inhibited the angiogenesis on the chicken chorioallantoic membrane. Scratch assay revealed that ER1626 suppressed the migration of MCF-7, Ishikawa and HUVEC cells. In addition to induction tumor cell apoptosis, ER1626 arrested cell cycle in G1/G0 phase in MCF-7 cells and G2/M phase in Ishikawa cells. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that ER1626 has favorable bioactivities to be a potential candidate against breast cancer and angiogenesis.

  7. Effects of Acanthus ebracteatus Vahl on tumor angiogenesis and on tumor growth in nude mice implanted with cervical cancer

    PubMed Central

    Mahasiripanth, Taksanee; Hokputsa, Sanya; Niruthisard, Somchai; Bhattarakosol, Parvapan; Patumraj, Suthiluk

    2012-01-01

    Purpose The aim of this study was to examine the effects of the crude extract of Acanthus ebracteatus Vahl (AE) on tumor growth and angiogenesis by utilizing a tumor model in which nude mice were implanted with cervical cancer cells containing human papillomavirus 16 DNA (HPV-16 DNA). Materials and methods The growth-inhibitory effect of AE was investigated in four different cell types: CaSki (HPV-16 positive), HeLa (HPV-18 positive), hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2), and human dermal fibroblast cells (HDFs). The cell viabilities and IC50 values of AE were determined in cells incubated with AE for different lengths of time. To conduct studies in vivo, female BALB/c nude mice (aged 6–7 weeks, weighing 20–25 g) were used. A cervical cancer-derived cell line (CaSki) with integrated HPV-16 DNA was injected subcutaneously (1 × 107 cells/200 μL) in the middle dorsum of each animal (HPV group). One week after injection, mice were fed orally with AE crude extract at either 300 or 3000 mg/kg body weight/day for 14 or 28 days (HPV-AE groups). Tumor microvasculature and capillary vascularity were determined using laser scanning confocal microscopy. Tumor tissue was collected from each mouse to evaluate tumor histology and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) immunostaining. Results The time-response curves of AE and the dose-dependent effect of AE on growth inhibition were determined. After a 48-hour incubation period, the IC50 of AE in CaSki was discovered to be significantly different from that of HDFs (P < 0.05). A microvascular network was observed around the tumor area in the HPV group on days 21 and 35. Tumor capillary vascularity in the HPV group was significantly increased compared with the control group (P < 0.001). High-dose treatment of AE extract (HPV-3000AE group) significantly attenuated the increase in VEGF expression and tumor angiogenesis in mice that received either the 14- or 28-day treatment period (P < 0.001). Conclusion Our novel findings demonstrated that AE crude extract could inhibit cervical cancer growth, VEGF expression, and angiogenesis in a CaSki-cell transplant model in mice. PMID:22977311

  8. Anticancer effect of a curcumin derivative B63: ROS production and mitochondrial dysfunction.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Adi; Li, Hao; Wang, Xun; Feng, Zhihui; Xu, Jie; Cao, Ke; Zhou, Bo; Wu, Jing; Liu, Jiankang

    2014-01-01

    Curcumin, a polyphenol isolated from the plant Curcuma longa, displays chemotherapeutic and chemopreventive effects in diverse cancers, including colorectal cancer. A mono-carbonyl analogue B63 was synthesized through several chemical modifications of the basic structure of curcumin to increase its biological activity and bioavailability. In vitro assays showed potent anti-proliferative effects of B63 on colon cancer cells (about 2 fold more effective than curcumin based on IC50). B63 treatment also induced significant necrosis, apoptosis, and S phase cell cycle arrest in SW620 colon cancer cells. The pro-apoptotic proteins Bad and Bim were up-regulated, and cytochrome c release from the mitochondria into the cytosol was enhanced, resulting in pro-caspase-3 and PARP-1 cleavage. Furthermore, the anticancer activity of B63 was dependent on intracellular ROS from damaged mitochondrial function and induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. In vivo, 50 mg/kg of B63 inhibit tumor growth similarly to 100 mg/kg curcumin in a mouse xenograft model using SW620 cells. These results suggest that the curcumin derivative B63 has a greater anticancer capacity than the parent curcumin in colon cancer cells and that the necrotic and apoptotic effects of B63 are mediated by ROS resulting from ER stress and mitochondrial dysfunction.

  9. The Cytotoxicity of Dacarbazine Potentiated by Sea Cucumber Saponin in Resistant B16F10 Melanoma Cells through Apoptosis Induction

    PubMed Central

    Baharara, Javad; Amini, Elaheh; Nikdel, Najme; Salek-Abdollahi, Farzaneh

    2016-01-01

    Background: Malignant melanoma is a highly aggressive malignant melanocytic neoplasm which resists against the most conventional therapies. Sea cucumber as one of marine organisms contains bioactive compounds such as polysaccharide, terpenoid and other metabolites which have anti-cancer, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The present study was designed to investigate the anticancer potential of saponin extracted from sea cucumber Holothuria leucospilata alone and in combination with dacarbazine on B16F10 melanoma cell line. Methods: The B16F10 cell line was treated with different concentrations of saponin (0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 μg/ml), dacarbazine (0, 1200, 1400, 1600, 18000, 1200, 1400, 1600, 2000 μg/ml) and co-administration of saponin-dacarbazine (1200 da+8 sp, 1200 da+4 sp) for 24 and 48 hr and the cytotoxic effect was examined by MTT, DAPI, acridine orange/propodium iodide, flow cytometry and caspase colorimetric assay. Results: The results exhibited that sea cucumber saponin, dacarbazine, and co-administration of saponin-dacarbazine inhibited the proliferation of melanoma cells in a dose and time dependent manner with IC50 values of 10, 1400 and 4+1200 μg/ml, respectively. Morphological observation of DAPI and acridine orange/propodium iodide staining documented typical characteristics of apoptotic cell death. Flow cytometry assay indicated accumulation of IC50 treated cells in sub-G1 peak. Additionally, saponin extracted induced intrinsic apoptosis via up-regulation of caspase-3 and caspase-9. Conclusion: These results revealed that the saponin extracted from sea cucumber as a natural anti-cancer compound may be a new treatment modality for metastatic melanoma and the application of sea cucumber saponin in combination with dacarbazine demonstrated the strongest anti-cancer activity as compared with the drug alone. PMID:27563423

  10. Berberine induces apoptosis via ROS generation in PANC-1 and MIA-PaCa2 pancreatic cell lines.

    PubMed

    Park, S H; Sung, J H; Kim, E J; Chung, N

    2015-02-01

    Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death. Gemcitabine is widely used as a chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of pancreatic cancer, but the prognosis is still poor. Berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid extracted from a variety of natural herbs, possesses a variety of pharmacological properties including anticancer effects. In this study, we investigated the anticancer effects of berberine and compared its use with that of gemcitabine in the pancreatic cancer cell lines PANC-1 and MIA-PaCa2. Berberine inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. After berberine treatment, the G1 phase of PANC-1 cells increased by 10% compared to control cells, and the G1 phase of MIA-PaCa2 cells was increased by 2%. Whereas gemcitabine exerts antiproliferation effects through S-phase arrest, our results showed that berberine inhibited proliferation by inducing G1-phase arrest. Berberine-induced apoptosis of PANC-1 and MIA-PaCa2 cells increased by 7 and 2% compared to control cells, respectively. Notably, berberine had a greater apoptotic effect in PANC-1 cells than gemcitabine. Upon treatment of PANC-1 and MIA-PaCa2 with berberine at a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50), apoptosis was induced by a mechanism that involved the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) rather than caspase 3/7 activation. Our findings showed that berberine had anti-cancer effects and may be an effective drug for pancreatic cancer chemotherapy.

  11. [Effect and mechanism of endoplasmic reticulum stress on cisplatin resistance in ovarian carcinoma].

    PubMed

    Tian, Jing; Hu, Xiaoming; Qu, Quanxin

    2014-05-01

    The study intended to investigate the effect and mechanism of endoplasmic reticulum stress on cisplatin resistance in ovarian carcinoma. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to test the expression of mTOR and Beclin1 mRNA and protein in ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells after saquinavir induction. MTT assay was used to analyze the influence of saquinavir on cisplatin sensitivity in SKOV3 cells. The IC50 of SKOV3 cells was (5.490 ± 1.148) µg/ml. After induced by Saquinavair 10 µmol/L and 20 µmol/L, the IC50 of SKOV3 cells was increased to (11.199 ± 0.984) µg/ml and (14.906 ± 2.015) µg/ml, respectively. It suggested that the sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin was decreased significantly (P = 0.001). The expression of mTOR and Beclin1 mRNA and protein was significantly different among the five groups: the (Saquinavair+DDP) group of, Saquinavair group, LY294002 group, DDP group and control group (P < 0.001) . The expressions of mTOR and Beclin1 mRNA were highest in the (Saquinavair+DDP) group, 0.684 ± 0.072 and 0.647 ± 0.047, respectively; Secondly, the Saquinavair group, 0.577 ± 0.016 and 0.565 ± 0.037, respectively. The expressions of mTOR and Beclin1 proteins were also highest in the (Saquinavair+DDP) group, 0.624 ± 0.058 and 0.924 ± 0.033, respectively, followed by the Saquinavair group, 0.544 ± 0.019 and 0.712 ± 0.024. 3-MA inhibited the autophagy and restored cisplatin sensitivity in the SKOV3 cells after Saquinavir induced ER stress (P < 0.001). Saquinavir can effectively induce endoplasmic reticulum stress in SKOV3 cells. Endoplasmic reticulum stress can decrease the sensitivity to cisplatin in SKOV3 cells. The mechanism of the decrease of sensitivity to cisplatin in SKOV3 cells may be that ERS regulates cell autophagy through the mTOR and Beclin1 pathways. ERS of tumor cells and autophagy may become a new target to improve the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy and to reverse the drug resistance in tumor treatment.

  12. Anti-Inflammatory Components of the Starfish Astropecten polyacanthus

    PubMed Central

    Thao, Nguyen Phuong; Cuong, Nguyen Xuan; Luyen, Bui Thi Thuy; Quang, Tran Hong; Hanh, Tran Thi Hong; Kim, Sohyun; Koh, Young-Sang; Nam, Nguyen Hoai; Kiem, Phan Van; Minh, Chau Van; Kim, Young Ho

    2013-01-01

    Inflammation is important in biomedical research, because it plays a key role in inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, allergies, asthma, and even cancer. In the present study, we describe the inhibitory effect of crude extracts and steroids isolated from the starfish Astropecten polyacanthus on pro-inflammatory cytokine (Interleukin-12 (IL-12) p40, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs). Among those tested, compounds 5 and 7 showed potent inhibitory effects on the production of all three pro-inflammatory cytokines with IC50 values ranging from 1.82 ± 0.11 to 7.00 ± 0.16 μM. Potent inhibitory activities were also observed for compound 1 on the production of IL-12 p40 and IL-6 with values of 3.96 ± 0.12 and 4.07 ± 0.13 μM, respectively, and for compounds 3 and 4 on the production of IL-12 p40 with values of 6.55 ± 0.18 and 5.06 ± 0.16 μM, respectively. Moreover, compounds 2 (IC50 = 34.86 ± 0.31 μM) and 6 (IC50 = 79.05 ± 2.05 μM) exhibited moderate inhibitory effects on the production of IL-12 p40, whereas compounds 3 (IC50 = 22.80 ± 0.21 μM) and 4 (IC50 = 16.73 ± 0.25 μM) moderately inhibited the production of TNF-α and IL-6, respectively. PMID:23945602

  13. Cytokeratin 5 positive cells represent a therapy resistant subpopulation in epithelial ovarian cancer

    PubMed Central

    Corr, Bradley R.; Finlay-Schultz, Jessica; Rosen, Rachel B.; Qamar, Lubna; Post, Miriam D.; Behbakht, Kian; Spillman, Monique A.; Sartorius, Carol A.

    2015-01-01

    Objective Cytokeratin 5 (CK5) is an epithelial cell marker implicated in stem and progenitor cell activity in glandular reproductive tissues and endocrine and chemotherapy resistance in estrogen receptor (ER)+ breast cancer. The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of CK5 expression in ovarian cancer and the response of CK5+ cell populations to cisplatin therapy. Materials and Methods CK5 expression was evaluated in two ovarian tissue microarrays, representing 137 neoplasms, and six ovarian cancer cell lines. Cell lines were treated with IC50 cisplatin and the prevalence of CK5+ cells pre- and post-treatment determined. Proliferation of CK5+ vs. CK5− cell populations was determined using bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation. Chemotherapy induced apoptosis in CK5+ vs. CK5− cells was measured using immunohistochemical staining for cleaved caspase-3. Results CK5 was expressed in 39.3% (42/107) of epithelial ovarian cancers with a range of 1-80% positive cells. Serous and endometrioid histologic subtypes had the highest percentage of CK5+ specimens. CK5 expression correlated with ER positivity (38/42 CK5+ tumors were also ER+). CK5 was expressed in 5/6 overall and 4/4 ER+ epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines ranging from 2.4-52.7% positive cells. CK5+ compared to CK5− cells were slower proliferating. The prevalence of CK5+ cells increased following 48 hour cisplatin treatment in 4/5 cell lines tested. CK5+ compared to CK5− ovarian cancer cells were more resistant to cisplatin induced apoptosis. Conclusions CK5 is expressed in a significant proportion of epithelial ovarian cancers and represents a slower proliferating, chemoresistant subpopulation that may warrant co-targeting in combination therapy. PMID:26495758

  14. Dimethoxy Curcumin Induces Apoptosis by Suppressing Survivin and Inhibits Invasion by Enhancing E-Cadherin in Colon Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Chen, Dong; Dai, Fang; Chen, Zhehang; Wang, Saisai; Cheng, Xiaobin; Sheng, Qinsong; Lin, Jianjiang; Chen, Wenbin

    2016-09-11

    BACKGROUND Dimethoxy curcumin (DMC) is a kind of lipophilic analog of curcumin with great improvement in chemical and metabolic stability. DMC has been studied in breast and renal cancer, but no research in colon cancer has been found yet. MATERIAL AND METHODS Two colon cancer cells (HT-29 and SW480) and one normal human colon mucosal epithelial cell (NCM460) were used in this study. We studied the effect of DMC on the proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Transwell migration assay was used to estimate the inhibition of DMC on invasion. Moreover, the expressions of PARP, caspase-3, survivin and E-cadherin were detected to uncover the related signaling pathways by western blotting assay both in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS DMC significantly inhibited the growth of colon cancer cells in dose-dependent manner; IC50 for DMC was calculated to be 43.4, 28.2 and 454.8µM on HT-29, SW480 and NCM460. DMC significantly increased the apoptosis in both HT-29 (p=0.0051) and SW480 (p=0.0013) cells in vitro, and significantly suppressed the growth of both cell lines in vivo. Moreover, DMC reduced the number of migrated cells in both HT-29 (p=0.007) and SW480 (p=0.004) cells. By western blotting analysis, the cleavage of pro-caspases-3 and PARP were clearly induced by DMC to their active form, while the expression of survivin was reduced and E-cadherin was enhanced in both cells in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSIONS DMC may exert an effective anti-tumor effect in colon cancer cells by down-regulating survivin and upregulating E-cadherin.

  15. Killing multiple myeloma cells with the small molecule 3-bromopyruvate: implications for therapy.

    PubMed

    Majkowska-Skrobek, Grażyna; Augustyniak, Daria; Lis, Paweł; Bartkowiak, Anna; Gonchar, Mykhailo; Ko, Young H; Pedersen, Peter L; Goffeau, Andre; Ułaszewski, Stanisław

    2014-07-01

    The small molecule 3-bromopyruvate (3-BP), which has emerged recently as the first member of a new class of potent anticancer agents, was tested for its capacity to kill multiple myeloma (MM) cancer cells. Human MM cells (RPMI 8226) begin to lose viability significantly within 8 h of incubation in the presence of 3-BP. The Km (0.3 mmol/l) for intracellular accumulation of 3-BP in MM cells is 24 times lower than that in control cells (7.2 mmol/l). Therefore, the uptake of 3-BP by MM cells is significantly higher than that by peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Further, the IC50 values for human MM cells and control peripheral blood mononuclear cells are 24 and 58 µmol/l, respectively. Therefore, specificity and selectivity of 3-BP toward MM cancer cells are evident on the basis of the above. In MM cells the transcription levels of the gene encoding the monocarboxylate transporter MCT1 is significantly amplified compared with control cells. The level of intracellular ATP in MM cells decreases by over 90% within 1 h after addition of 100 µmol/l 3-BP. The cytotoxicity of 3-BP, exemplified by a marked decrease in viability of MM cells, is potentiated by the inhibitor of glutathione synthesis buthionine sulfoximine. In addition, the lack of mutagenicity and its superior capacity relative to Glivec to kill MM cancer cells are presented in this study.

  16. Antioxidant and antiproliferative potentials of methanol extract of Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal) A. Rich in PC-3 and LNCaP cells.

    PubMed

    Adaramoye, Oluwatosin Adekunle; Erguen, Bettina; Nitzsche, Bianca; Höpfner, Michael; Jung, Klaus; Rabien, Anja

    2017-07-26

    Our previous studies showed that fruit methanol extract from Xylopia aethiopica (MEXA) exhibited antiproliferative activity in human cervical cancer cells via the induction of apoptosis. The present study was designed to assess the antiproliferative, antiangiogenic and antioxidant effects of MEXA on prostate cancer (PCa) cells (PC-3 and LNCaP). PC-3 and LNCaP cells were cultured and treated with MEXA (10, 50 and 100 μg/mL). The sodium 3'-[1-(phenylaminocarbonyl)-3,4-tetrazolium]-bis (4-methoxy-6-nitro) benzene sulfonic acid hydrate (XTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays were used to evaluate cell viability and cytotoxicity, respectively. DNA fragmentation was determined by cell death detection ELISA plus, and angiogenesis was assessed by chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. The antioxidant activities of MEXA were determined by DPPH and hydroxyl (OH) radicals' scavenging methods as well as through the inhibition of lipid peroxidation (LPO) in rats' liver homogenate. MEXA at 100, 250 and 500 μg/mL scavenged DPPH by 48%, 62%, 70% and OH radical by 39%, 58%, 67%, respectively. MEXA significantly (p<0.05) inhibited LPO in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, MEXA had antiproliferative effects on PC-3 and LNCaP with IC50 of 62.1 and 73.6 μg/mL, respectively, at 96 h. The LDH assay showed that MEXA had low toxicity in vitro at its IC50 values. The extent of DNA fragmentation by MEXA showed higher values in PC-3 and LNCaP, suggesting the possible induction of apoptosis. In contrast, MEXA did not affect the network of vessels in CAM, thus lacking anti-angiogenic property. These findings suggest that MEXA induces antiproliferative activity in PCa cells through a mechanism that involves apoptosis. Therefore, MEXA may be a potential therapeutic agent for PCa.

  17. Placenta-specific1 (PLAC1) is a potential target for antibody-drug conjugate-based prostate cancer immunotherapy.

    PubMed

    Nejadmoghaddam, Mohammad-Reza; Zarnani, Amir-Hassan; Ghahremanzadeh, Ramin; Ghods, Roya; Mahmoudian, Jafar; Yousefi, Maryam; Nazari, Mahboobeh; Ghahremani, Mohammad Hossein; Abolhasani, Maryam; Anissian, Ali; Mahmoudi, Morteza; Dinarvand, Rassoul

    2017-10-17

    Our recent findings strongly support the idea of PLAC1 being as a potential immunotherapeutic target in prostate cancer (PCa). Here, we have generated and evaluated an anti-placenta-specific1 (PLAC1)-based antibody drug conjugate (ADC) for targeted immunotherapy of PCa. Prostate cancer cells express considerable levels of PLAC1. The Anti-PLAC1 clone, 2H12C12, showed high reactivity with recombinant PLAC1 and selectivity recognized PLAC1 in prostate cancer cells but not in LS180 cells, the negative control. PLAC1 binding induced rapid internalization of the antibody within a few minutes which reached to about 50% after 15 min and almost completed within an hour. After SN38 conjugation to antibody, a drug-antibody ratio (DAR) of about 5.5 was achieved without apparent negative effect on antibody affinity to cell surface antigen. The ADC retained intrinsic antibody activity and showed enhanced and selective cytotoxicity with an IC50 of 62 nM which was about 15-fold lower compared to free drug. Anti-PLAC1-ADC induced apoptosis in human primary prostate cancer cells and prostate cell lines. No apparent cytotoxic effect was observed in in vivo animal safety experiments. Our newly developed anti-PLAC1-based ADCs might pave the way for a reliable, efficient, and novel immunotherapeutic modality for patients with PCa.

  18. Development of EGFR Targeted Nanoemulsion for Imaging and Novel Platinum Therapy of Ovarian Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Ganta, Srinivas; Singh, Amit; Patel, Niravkumar R.; Cacaccio, Joseph; Rawal, Yashesh H.; Davis, Barbara J.; Amiji, Mansoor M.; Coleman, Timothy P.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose Platinum-based chemotherapy is the treatment of choice for malignant epithelial ovarian cancers, but generalized toxicity and platinum resistance limits its use. Theranostic nanoemulsion with a novel platinum prodrug, myrisplatin, and the pro-apoptotic agent, C6-ceramide, were designed to overcome these limitations. Methods The nanoemulsions, including ones with an EGFR binding peptide and gadolinium, were made using generally regarded as safe grade excipients and a high shear microfluidization process. Efficacy was evaluated in ovarian cancer cells, SKOV3, A2780 and A2780CP. Results The nanoemulsion with particle size <150 nm were stable in plasma and parenteral fluids for 24 h. Ovarian cancer cells in vitro efficiently took up the non-targeted and EGFR-targeted nanoemulsions; improved cytotoxicity was observed for the these nanoemulsions with the latter showing a 50-fold drop in the IC50 in SKOV3 cells as compared to cisplatin alone. The addition of gadolinium did not affect cell viability in vitro, but showed relaxation times comparable to Magnevist®. Conclusion The myrisplatin/C6-ceramide nanoemulsion synergistically enhanced in vitro cytotoxicity. An EGFR binding peptide addition further increased in vitro cytotoxicity in EGFR positive cancer cells. The diagnostic version showed MR imaging similar to the clinically relevant Magnevist® and may be suitable as a theranostic for ovarian cancer. PMID:24643932

  19. Derivatives of Dictyostelium differentiation-inducing factors inhibit lysophosphatidic acid-stimulated migration of murine osteosarcoma LM8 cells.

    PubMed

    Kubohara, Yuzuru; Komachi, Mayumi; Homma, Yoshimi; Kikuchi, Haruhisa; Oshima, Yoshiteru

    2015-08-07

    Osteosarcoma is a common metastatic bone cancer that predominantly develops in children and adolescents. Metastatic osteosarcoma remains associated with a poor prognosis; therefore, more effective anti-metastatic drugs are needed. Differentiation-inducing factor-1 (DIF-1), -2, and -3 are novel lead anti-tumor agents that were originally isolated from the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum. Here we investigated the effects of a panel of DIF derivatives on lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)-induced migration of mouse osteosarcoma LM8 cells by using a Boyden chamber assay. Some DIF derivatives such as Br-DIF-1, DIF-3(+2), and Bu-DIF-3 (5-20 μM) dose-dependently suppressed LPA-induced cell migration with associated IC50 values of 5.5, 4.6, and 4.2 μM, respectively. On the other hand, the IC50 values of Br-DIF-1, DIF-3(+2), and Bu-DIF-3 versus cell proliferation were 18.5, 7.2, and 2.0 μM, respectively, in LM8 cells, and >20, 14.8, and 4.3 μM, respectively, in mouse 3T3-L1 fibroblasts (non-transformed). Together, our results demonstrate that Br-DIF-1 in particular may be a valuable tool for the analysis of cancer cell migration, and that DIF derivatives such as DIF-3(+2) and Bu-DIF-3 are promising lead anti-tumor agents for the development of therapies that suppress osteosarcoma cell proliferation, migration, and metastasis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Methanol extract from Vietnamese Caesalpinia sappan induces apoptosis in HeLa cells.

    PubMed

    Hung, Tran Manh; Dang, Nguyen Hai; Dat, Nguyen Tien

    2014-05-27

    This study evaluated the cytotoxic activity of extracts from Caesalpinia sappan heartwood against multiple cancer cell lines using an MTT cell viability assay. The cell death though induction of apoptosis was as indicated by DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 enzyme activation. A methanol extract from C. sappan (MECS) showed cytotoxic activity against several of the cancer cell lines. The most potent activity exhibited by the MECS was against HeLa cells with an IC50 value of 26.5 ± 3.2 μg/mL. Treatment of HeLa cells with various MECS concentrations resulted in growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis, as indicated by DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 enzyme activation. This study is the first report of the anticancer properties of the heartwood of C. sappan native to Vietnam. Our findings demonstrate that C. sappan heartwood may have beneficial applications in the field of anticancer drug discovery.

  1. Synthesis, DNA-binding affinity and cytotoxicity of the dinuclear platinum(II) complexes with berenil and amines ligands.

    PubMed

    Bielawski, Krzysztof; Bielawska, Anna; Popławska, Bozena; Bołkun-Skórnicka, Urszula

    2008-01-01

    A series of platinium(II) complexes of formula [Pt2L4(berenil)2]Cl4.4HCl.2H2O where L is piperidine (1), 4-picoline (2), 3-picoline (3) or isopropylamine (4) was prepared and their cytotoxicity have been tested against the growth of human breast cancer cells. Evaluation of the cytotoxicity of these compounds employing a MTT assay and inhibition of [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA in both MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells demonstrated that these compounds were more active than cisplatin. Data from the ethidium displacement assay indicated that these compounds show moderate specificity for AT base pairs of DNA. Compounds 1-4 were also potent topoisomerase II inhibitors, with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) ranging from 5 to 50 microM.

  2. The Cytotoxicity of Dacarbazine Potentiated by Sea Cucumber Saponin in Resistant B16F10 Melanoma Cells through Apoptosis Induction.

    PubMed

    Baharara, Javad; Amini, Elaheh; Nikdel, Najme; Salek-Abdollahi, Farzaneh

    2016-01-01

    Malignant melanoma is a highly aggressive malignant melanocytic neoplasm which resists against the most conventional therapies. Sea cucumber as one of marine organisms contains bioactive compounds such as polysaccharide, terpenoid and other metabolites which have anti-cancer, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The present study was designed to investigate the anticancer potential of saponin extracted from sea cucumber Holothuria leucospilata alone and in combination with dacarbazine on B16F10 melanoma cell line. The B16F10 cell line was treated with different concentrations of saponin (0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 μg/ml), dacarbazine (0, 1200, 1400, 1600, 18000, 1200, 1400, 1600, 2000 μg/ml) and co-administration of saponin-dacarbazine (1200 da+8 sp, 1200 da+4 sp) for 24 and 48 hr and the cytotoxic effect was examined by MTT, DAPI, acridine orange/propodium iodide, flow cytometry and caspase colorimetric assay. The results exhibited that sea cucumber saponin, dacarbazine, and co-administration of saponin-dacarbazine inhibited the proliferation of melanoma cells in a dose and time dependent manner with IC50 values of 10, 1400 and 4+1200 μg/ml, respectively. Morphological observation of DAPI and acridine orange/propodium iodide staining documented typical characteristics of apoptotic cell death. Flow cytometry assay indicated accumulation of IC50 treated cells in sub-G1 peak. Additionally, saponin extracted induced intrinsic apoptosis via up-regulation of caspase-3 and caspase-9. These results revealed that the saponin extracted from sea cucumber as a natural anti-cancer compound may be a new treatment modality for metastatic melanoma and the application of sea cucumber saponin in combination with dacarbazine demonstrated the strongest anti-cancer activity as compared with the drug alone.

  3. Chrysin reduces proliferation and induces apoptosis in the human prostate cancer cell line pc-3

    PubMed Central

    Samarghandian, Saeed; Afshari, Jalil Tavakkol; Davoodi, Saeideh

    2011-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Honey is a common household product with many medicinal uses described in traditional medicine. Only recently has its antioxidant properties and preventive effects against disease been highlighted. Chrysin is a natural flavone commonly found in honey that has been shown to be an antioxidant agent. In this study, we investigated the antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of honey and chrysin on cultured human prostate cancer cells. METHODS: Cells were cultured in RPMI medium and treated with different concentrations of honey and chrysin for three consecutive days. Cell viability was quantitated by the 3-(4, 5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The percentage of apoptotic cells was determined by flow cytometry using Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate. RESULTS: The MTT assay revealed that both compounds had an antiproliferative effect on PC-3 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The IC50 values for honey and chrysin against PC-3 cells were 2.5% and 24.5% after 48 h and 1.8% and 8.5% after 72 h, respectively. Chrysin induced apoptosis in PC-3 cells, as determined by flow cytometry. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that honey has anti-proliferative effects on prostate cancer cells and the effects are mainly due to chrysin. Therefore, chrysin may be a potential compound for both cancer prevention and treatment. Further in vivo investigation is needed to support the use of chrysin in cancer therapy. PMID:21808878

  4. Tamoxifen reduces P-gp-mediated multidrug resistance via inhibiting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in ER-negative human gastric cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Mao, Zonglei; Zhou, Jin; Luan, Junwei; Sheng, Weihua; Shen, Xiaochun; Dong, Xiaoqiang

    2014-03-01

    Multidrug resistance (MDR), mediated by overexpression of drug efflux transporters such as P-glycoprotein (P-gp), is a major problem limiting successful chemotherapy of gastric cancer. Tamoxifen (TAM), a triphenylethylene nonsteroidal antiestrogen agent, shows broad-spectrum antitumor properties. Emerging studies demonstrated that TAM could significantly reduce the MDR in a variety of human cancers. Here we investigated the effects and possible underlying mechanisms of action of TAM on the reversion of MDR in ER-negative human gastric cancer cells. Our results demonstrated that in MDR phenotype SGC7901/CDDP gastric cancer cells TAM dramatically lowered the IC50 of CDDP, 5-FU and ADM, increased the intracellular Rhodamine123 accumulation and induced G0/G1 phase arrest, while G2/M phase decreased accordingly. Furthermore, at the molecular level, TAM substantially decreased the expression of P-gp, p-Akt and the Akt-regulated downstream effectors such as p-GSK-3β, p-BAD, Bcl-XL and cyclinD1 proteins without affecting the expression of t-Akt, t-GSK-3β, t-BAD proteins in SGC7901/CDDP cells. Thus, our findings demonstrate that TAM reverses P-gp-mediated gastric cancer cell MDR via inhibiting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  5. Resveratrol and Pterostilbene Exhibit Anticancer Properties Involving the Downregulation of HPV Oncoprotein E6 in Cervical Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Chatterjee, Kaushiki; AlSharif, Dina; Mazza, Christina; Syar, Palwasha; Al Sharif, Mohamed; Fata, Jimmie E

    2018-02-21

    Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in women living in developing countries. Due to a lack of affordable effective therapy, research into alternative anticancer compounds with low toxicity such as dietary polyphenols has continued. Our aim is to determine whether two structurally similar plant polyphenols, resveratrol and pterostilbene, exhibit anticancer and anti-HPV (Human papillomavirus) activity against cervical cancer cells. To determine anticancer activity, extensive in vitro analyses were performed. Anti-HPV activity, through measuring E6 protein levels, subsequent downstream p53 effects, and caspase-3 activation, were studied to understand a possible mechanism of action. Both polyphenols are effective agents in targeting cervical cancer cells, having low IC50 values in the µM range. They decrease clonogenic survival, reduce cell migration, arrest cells at the S-phase, and reduce the number of mitotic cells. These findings were significant, with pterostilbene often being more effective than resveratrol. Resveratrol and to a greater extent pterostilbene downregulates the HPV oncoprotein E6, induces caspase-3 activation, and upregulates p53 protein levels. Results point to a mechanism that may involve the downregulation of the HPV E6 oncoprotein, activation of apoptotic pathways, and re-establishment of functional p53 protein, with pterostilbene showing greater efficacy than resveratrol.

  6. Cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of different extracts of Artemisia biennis Willd. on K562 and HL-60 cell lines

    PubMed Central

    Tayarani-Najaran, Zahra; Makki, Farideh-Sadat; Alamolhodaei, Nafiseh-Sadat; Mojarrab, Mahdi; Emami, Seyed Ahmad

    2017-01-01

    Objective(s): Artemisia is a genus of herbs and small shrubs forms an important part of natural vegetation in Iran. It has been reported that several Artemisia species possess anti-proliferative effects. Considering the value of this genus in anti-cancer researches we have chosen Artemisia biennis for cytotoxic and mechanistic studies. Materials and Methods: In this study we have investigated the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of petroleum ether, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, ethanol, and ethanol: water (1:1 v/v) extracts of A. biennis Willd. on two cancer human cell lines (K562 and HL-60) and J774 as normal cells. Results: CH2Cl2 extract was found to have the highest anti-proliferative effect on cancer cells. IC50 values obtained in AlamarBlue® assay for CH2Cl2 extract were 64.86 and 54.31 µg/ml on K562 and HL-60 cells respectively. In flow cytometry histogram of the cells treated with CH2Cl2 extract, sub-G1 peak was induced. DNA fragmentation, increased in the level of Bax and cleavage of PARP protein all showed the induction of apoptosis with CH2Cl2 extract after 48 hr contact with cells. Conclusion: The results can corroborate the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of the CH2Cl2 extract of A. biennis on the K562 and HL-60 cancer cell lines. PMID:28293393

  7. Synthesis of Colloidal Quantum Dots Coated with Mercaptosuccinic Acid for Early Detection and Therapeutics of Oral Cancers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jocelin, G.; Arivarasan, A.; Ganesan, M.; Prasad, N. Rajendra; Sasikala, G.

    2016-04-01

    Quantum dots (QDs) are gaining widespread recognition for its luminescence behavior and unique photo physical properties as a bio-marker and inorganic fluorophore. In spite of such rampant advantages, its application is clinically hampered depending on the surface coating decreasing its luminescence efficiency. The present study reports preparation of CdTe QDs capped with biologically active thiol based material, mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA) for diagnosis of oral cancer (KB) cells by acting as a fluorophore marking targeted tumor cells and at the same time exhibiting certain cytotoxic effects. Synthesized MSA coated CdTe QDs is spherical in shape with an average particle size of 3-5nm. In vitro, the rapid uptake of MSA CdTe QDs in oral cancer cell lines were assessed through fluorescence microscopy. Further, this study evaluates the therapeutic efficiency of MSA CdTe QDs in human oral cancer cell lines using MTT analysis. MSA CdTe QDs exhibit significant cytotoxicity in oral cancer cells in a dose dependent manner with low IC50 when compared with other raw CdTe QDs. MSA CdTe QDs were also treated with human lymphocytes (normal cells) to assess and compare the toxicity profile of QDs in normal and oral tumors. The results of our present study strengthen our hypothesis of using MSA CdTe QDs as detector for tracking and fluorescence imaging of oral cancer cells and exhibiting sufficient cytotoxicity in them.

  8. Rationally engineered polymeric cisplatin nanoparticle for improved antitumor efficacy

    PubMed Central

    Paraskar, Abhimanyu; Soni, Shivani; Basu, Sudipta; Chitra, J; Amarasiriwardena; Lupoli, Nicola; Srivats, Shyam; Roy, Rituparna Sinha; Sengupta, Shiladitya

    2011-01-01

    The use of cisplatin, a first line chemotherapy for most cancers, is dose-limited due to nephrotoxicity. While, this toxicity can be addressed through nanotechnology, previous attempts at engineering cisplatin nanoparticles have been limited by the impact on the potency of cisplatin. Here we report the rational engineering of a novel cisplatin nanoparticle by harnessing a novel polyethylene glycol-functionalized poly-isobutylene-maleic acid (PEG-PIMA) co-polymer, which can complex with cis-platinum (II) through a monocarboxylato and a coordinate bond. We show that this complex self-assembles into a nanoparticle, and exhibit an IC50 = 0.77 ± 0.11μM comparable to that of free cisplatin (IC50 = 0.44 ± 0.09 μM). The nanoparticles are internalized into the endolysosomal compartment of cancer cells, and releases cisplatin in a pH-dependent manner. Furthermore, the nanoparticles exhibited significantly improved antitumor efficacy in a 4T1 breast cancer model in vivo with limited nephrotoxicity, which can be explained by preferential biodistribution in the tumor with reduced kidney concentrations. Our results suggest that the PEG-PIMA-cisplatin nanoparticle can emerge as an attractive solution to the challenges in cisplatin chemotherapy. PMID:21576779

  9. Bioactivity of Turmeric-Derived Curcuminoids and Related Metabolites in Breast Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Wright, Laura E.; Frye, Jen B.; Gorti, Bhavana; Timmermann, Barbara N.; Funk, Janet L.

    2013-01-01

    While the chemotherapeutic effect of curcumin, one of three major curcuminoids derived from turmeric, has been reported, largely unexplored are the effects of complex turmeric extracts more analogous to traditional medicinal preparations, as well as the relative importance of the three curcuminoids and their metabolites as anti-cancer agents. These studies document the pharmacodynamic effects of chemically-complex turmeric extracts relative to curcuminoids on human breast cancer cell growth and tumor cell secretion of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP), an important driver of cancer bone metastasis. Finally, relative effects of structurally-related metabolites of curcuminoids were assessed on the same endpoints. We report that 3 curcuminoid-containing turmeric extracts differing with respect to the inclusion of additional naturally occurring chemicals (essential oils and/or polar compounds) were equipotent in inhibiting human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell growth (IC50=10–16μg/mL) and secretion of osteolytic PTHrP (IC50=2–3μg/mL) when concentrations were normalized to curcuminoid content. Moreover, these effects were curcuminoid-specific, as botanically-related gingerol containing extracts had no effect. While curcumin and bis-demethoxycurcumin were equipotent to each other and to the naturally occurring curcuminoid mixture (IC50=58 μM), demethoxycurcumin was without effect on cell growth. However, each of the individual curcuminoids inhibited PTHrP secretion (IC50=22–31μM) to the same degree as the curcuminoid mixture (IC50=16 μM). Degradative curcuminoid metabolites (vanillin and ferulic acid) did not inhibit cell growth or PTHrP, while reduced metabolites (tetrahydrocurcuminoids) had inhibitory effects on cell growth and PTHrP secretion but only at concentrations ≥10-fold higher than the curcuminoids. These studies emphasize the structural and biological importance of curcuminoids in the anti-breast cancer effects of turmeric and contradict recent assertions that certain of the curcuminoid metabolites studied here mediate these anti-cancer effects. PMID:23448448

  10. Synergistic suppression of human breast cancer cells by combination of plumbagin and zoledronic acid In vitro.

    PubMed

    Qiao, Han; Wang, Ting-yu; Yan, Wei; Qin, An; Fan, Qi-ming; Han, Xiu-guo; Wang, Yu-gang; Tang, Ting-ting

    2015-09-01

    Zoledronic acid (ZA), a bisphosphonate, is currently used in combination with chemotherapeutic agents to suppress breast cancer cell proliferation or breast cancer-induced osteolysis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ZA combined with a natural anticancer compound plumbagin (PL) against human breast cancer cells in vitro. Human breast cancer MDA-MB-231SArfp cells were treated with ZA, PL or a combination of ZA and PL. The cell growth, apoptosis and migration were evaluated using CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry and transwell assay, respectively. The expression of apoptosis-related proteins was measured using real-time PCR and Western blotting. Synergism was evaluated using Compusyn software, and the combination index (CI) and drug reduction index (DRI) values were determined. PL or ZA alone caused mild cytotoxicity (the IC50 value at 24 h was 12.18 and above 100 μmol/L, respectively). However, the combination of ZA and PL caused a synergistic cytotoxicity (CI=0.26). The DRI values also showed a synergistic effect between PL and ZA, with actual values of 5.52 and 3.59, respectively. Furthermore, PL and ZA synergistically induced apoptosis and inhibited migration of the breast cancer cells. Moreover, the combination of ZA and PL decreased the expression of Notch-1, cleaved PARP, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl, and increased the expression of cleaved caspase-3, CDKN1A and ID1. When the breast cancer cells were transfected with specific siRNA against Notch-1, the combination of ZA and PL markedly increased the expression of Bcl-2. Combination of ZA and PL synergistically suppresses human breast cancer MDA-MB-231SArfp cells in vitro. PL can inhibit ZA-induced activation of the Notch-1 signaling pathway and subsequently reduce the expression of Bcl-2, thus potentiating cancer cell apoptosis.

  11. Acid ceramidase and its inhibitors: a de novo drug target and a new class of drugs for killing glioblastoma cancer stem cells with high efficiency.

    PubMed

    Doan, Ninh B; Alhajala, Hisham; Al-Gizawiy, Mona M; Mueller, Wade M; Rand, Scott D; Connelly, Jennifer M; Cochran, Elizabeth J; Chitambar, Christopher R; Clark, Paul; Kuo, John; Schmainda, Kathleen M; Mirza, Shama P

    2017-12-22

    Glioblastoma remains the most common, malignant primary cancer of the central nervous system with a low life expectancy and an overall survival of less than 1.5 years. The treatment options are limited and there is no cure. Moreover, almost all patients develop recurrent tumors, which typically are more aggressive. Therapeutically resistant glioblastoma or glioblastoma stem-like cells (GSCs) are hypothesized to cause this inevitable recurrence. Identifying prognostic biomarkers of glioblastoma will potentially advance knowledge about glioblastoma tumorigenesis and enable discovery of more effective therapies. Proteomic analysis of more than 600 glioblastoma-specific proteins revealed, for the first time, that expression of acid ceramidase (ASAH1) is associated with poor glioblastoma survival. CD133+ GSCs express significantly higher ASAH1 compared to CD133- GSCs and serum-cultured glioblastoma cell lines, such as U87MG. These findings implicate ASAH1 as a plausible independent prognostic marker, providing a target for a therapy tailored toward GSCs. We further demonstrate that ASAH1 inhibition increases cellular ceramide level and induces apoptosis. Strikingly, U87MG cells, and three different patient-derived glioblastoma stem-like cancer cell lines were efficiently killed, through apoptosis, by three different known ASAH1 inhibitors with IC50's ranging from 11-104 μM. In comparison, the standard glioblastoma chemotherapy agent, temozolomide, had minimal GSC-targeted effects at comparable or even higher concentrations (IC50 > 750 μM against GSCs). ASAH1 is identified as a de novo glioblastoma drug target, and ASAH1 inhibitors, such as carmofur, are shown to be highly effective and to specifically target glioblastoma GSCs. Carmofur is an ASAH1 inhibitor that crosses the blood-brain barrier, a major bottleneck in glioblastoma treatment. It has been approved in Japan since 1981 for colorectal cancer therapy. Therefore, it is poised for repurposing and translation to glioblastoma clinical trials.

  12. Golden Berry-Derived 4β-hydroxywithanolide E for Selectively Killing Oral Cancer Cells by Generating ROS, DNA Damage, and Apoptotic Pathways

    PubMed Central

    Chiu, Chien-Chih; Haung, Jo-Wen; Chang, Fang-Rong; Huang, Kuang-Jing; Huang, Hsuan-Min; Huang, Hurng-Wern; Chou, Chon-Kit; Wu, Yang-Chang; Chang, Hsueh-Wei

    2013-01-01

    Background Most chemotherapeutic drugs for killing cancer cells are highly cytotoxic in normal cells, which limits their clinical applications. Therefore, a continuing challenge is identifying a drug that is hypersensitive to cancer cells but has minimal deleterious effects on healthy cells. The aims of this study were to evaluate the potential of 4β-hydroxywithanolide (4βHWE) for selectively killing cancer cells and to elucidate its related mechanisms. Methodology and Principal Findings Changes in survival, oxidative stress, DNA damage, and apoptosis signaling were compared between 4βHWE-treated oral cancer (Ca9-22) and normal fibroblast (HGF-1) cells. At 24 h and 48 h, the numbers of Ca9-22 cells were substantially decreased, but the numbers of HGF-1 cells were only slightly decreased. Additionally, the IC50 values for 4βHWE in the Ca9-22 cells were 3.6 and 1.9 µg/ml at 24 and 48 h, respectively. Time-dependent abnormal increases in ROS and dose-responsive mitochondrial depolarization can be exploited by using 4βHWE in chemotherapies for selectively killing cancer cells. Dose-dependent DNA damage measured by comet-nuclear extract assay and flow cytometry-based γ-H2AX/propidium iodide (PI) analysis showed relatively severer damage in the Ca9-22 cells. At both low and high concentrations, 4βHWE preferably perturbed the cell cycle in Ca9-22 cells by increasing the subG1 population and arrest of G1 or G2/M. Selective induction of apoptosis in Ca9-22 cells was further confirmed by Annexin V/PI assay, by preferential expression of phosphorylated ataxia-telangiectasia- and Rad3-related protein (p-ATR), and by cleavage of caspase 9, caspase 3, and poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP). Conclusions/Significance Together, the findings of this study, particularly the improved understanding of the selective killing mechanisms of 4βHWE, can be used to improve efficiency in killing oral cancer cells during chemoprevention and therapy. PMID:23705007

  13. Apoptosis induction by 7-chloroquinoline-1,2,3-triazoyl carboxamides in triple negative breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Begnini, Karine Rech; Duarte, Wladimir R; da Silva, Liziane Pereira; Buss, Julieti H; Goldani, Bruna S; Fronza, Mariana; Segatto, Natália Vieira; Alves, Diego; Savegnago, Lucielli; Seixas, Fabiana Kömmling; Collares, Tiago

    2017-07-01

    Breast cancer is a major public health burden in both developed and developing countries and there is still a need to screen new molecules with different modes of actions. The aims of this study were to evaluate the selectivity profile, apoptotic cell death and cell cycle arrest induced by 7-chloroquinoline-1,2,3-triazoyl carboxamides derivatives in hormonal-dependent and hormonal-independent breast cancer cells. Results showed significantly decreased MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells viability in vitro in a dose dependent manner after treatment with 7-chloroquinoline derivatives QTCA-1, QTCA-2 and QTCA-3. QTCA-1 displayed the highest cytotoxic activity from all the tested compounds in MDA-MB-231 with IC50 values of 20.60, 20.42 and 19.91μM in 24, 48 and 72h of treatment respectively. Apoptosis induction was also significantly higher in the hormonal-independent breast cancer cells, with 80.4% of dead cells in MDA-MB-231 and only 16.8% of dead in MCF-7 cells. As a result, G0/G1 cycle arrest was observed in MCF-7 cells and no cell cycle arrest at all was observed in MDA-MB-231 cells. Molecular docking showed a high affinity of QTCA-1 to PARP-1, Scr and PI3K/mTOR targets. These results suggest a strong activity of the 7-chloroquinoline derivative QTCA-1 in independent-hormonal cells and suggest selectivity for triple negative cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  14. Cytotoxic and Apoptotic Effects of Different Extracts of Artemisia turanica Krasch. on K562 and HL-60 Cell Lines

    PubMed Central

    Tayarani-Najaran, Zahra; Sareban, Mahla; Gholami, Atefeh; Emami, Seyed Ahmad; Mojarrab, Mahdi

    2013-01-01

    Artemisia is an important genus of Iranian flora. Cytotoxic activities for some species of the genus have already been reported. In this study, we have investigated the cytotoxic effects of n-hexane, CH2Cl2, EtOAc, EtOH, and EtOH/H2O (1 : 1) extracts of A. turanica Krasch. on two human leukemic cancer cell lines (K562 and HL-60) and J774 as normal cells using alamarBlue (resazurin) assay. PI staining of the fragmented DNA and western blot analysis were used to evaluate the possible apoptotic effect of the extract. The CH2Cl2 extract of A. turanica showed the most antiproliferative effect on cancer cells among all tested extracts with IC50 values of 69 and 104 μg/mL on K562 and HL-60 cells, respectively, whereas the normal cells were not affected significantly by this extract. Sub-G1 peak in the flow cytometry histogram of the cells treated with CH2Cl2 extract of A. turanica and cleavage of PARP protein confirmed the induction of apoptosis with CH2Cl2 extract. Taken together, the findings of the present work suggest the anticancer potential of CH2Cl2 extract of A. turanica on human leukemic cancer cell lines. PMID:24288497

  15. Identification and Quantification of the Main Active Anticancer Alkaloids from the Root of Glaucium flavum

    PubMed Central

    Bournine, Lamine; Bensalem, Sihem; Wauters, Jean-Noël; Iguer-Ouada, Mokrane; Maiza-Benabdesselam, Fadila; Bedjou, Fatiha; Castronovo, Vincent; Bellahcène, Akeila; Tits, Monique; Frédérich, Michel

    2013-01-01

    Glaucium flavum is used in Algerian folk medicine to remove warts (benign tumors). Its local appellations are Cheqiq el-asfar and Qarn el-djedyane. We have recently reported the anti-tumoral activity of Glaucium flavum root alkaloid extract against human cancer cells, in vitro and in vivo. The principal identified alkaloid in the extract was protopine. This study aims to determine which component(s) of Glaucium flavum root extract might possess potent antitumor activity on human cancer cells. Quantitative estimation of Glaucium flavum alkaloids was realized by HPLC-DAD. Glaucium flavum effect on human normal and cancer cell viability was determined using WST-1 assay. Quantification of alkaloids in Glaucium flavum revealed that the dried root part contained 0.84% of protopine and 0.07% of bocconoline (w/w), while the dried aerial part contained only 0.08% of protopine, glaucine as the main alkaloid, and no bocconoline. In vitro evaluation of the growth inhibitory activity on breast cancer and normal cells demonstrated that purified protopine did not reproduce the full cytotoxic activity of the alkaloid root extract on cancer cell lines. On the other hand, bocconoline inhibited strongly the viability of cancer cells with an IC50 of 7.8 μM and only a low cytotoxic effect was observed against normal human cells. Our results showed for the first time that protopine is the major root alkaloid of Glaucium flavum. Finally, we are the first to demonstrate a specific anticancer effect of Glaucium flavum root extract against breast cancer cells, which can be attributed, at least in part, to bocconoline. PMID:24317429

  16. Identification and quantification of the main active anticancer alkaloids from the root of Glaucium flavum.

    PubMed

    Bournine, Lamine; Bensalem, Sihem; Wauters, Jean-Noël; Iguer-Ouada, Mokrane; Maiza-Benabdesselam, Fadila; Bedjou, Fatiha; Castronovo, Vincent; Bellahcène, Akeila; Tits, Monique; Frédérich, Michel

    2013-12-02

    Glaucium flavum is used in Algerian folk medicine to remove warts (benign tumors). Its local appellations are Cheqiq el-asfar and Qarn el-djedyane. We have recently reported the anti-tumoral activity of Glaucium flavum root alkaloid extract against human cancer cells, in vitro and in vivo. The principal identified alkaloid in the extract was protopine. This study aims to determine which component(s) of Glaucium flavum root extract might possess potent antitumor activity on human cancer cells. Quantitative estimation of Glaucium flavum alkaloids was realized by HPLC-DAD. Glaucium flavum effect on human normal and cancer cell viability was determined using WST-1 assay. Quantification of alkaloids in Glaucium flavum revealed that the dried root part contained 0.84% of protopine and 0.07% of bocconoline (w/w), while the dried aerial part contained only 0.08% of protopine, glaucine as the main alkaloid, and no bocconoline. In vitro evaluation of the growth inhibitory activity on breast cancer and normal cells demonstrated that purified protopine did not reproduce the full cytotoxic activity of the alkaloid root extract on cancer cell lines. On the other hand, bocconoline inhibited strongly the viability of cancer cells with an IC50 of 7.8 µM and only a low cytotoxic effect was observed against normal human cells. Our results showed for the first time that protopine is the major root alkaloid of Glaucium flavum. Finally, we are the first to demonstrate a specific anticancer effect of Glaucium flavum root extract against breast cancer cells, which can be attributed, at least in part, to bocconoline.

  17. Cytotoxic and anti-colorectal tumor effects of sulfated saponins from sea cucumber Holothuria moebii.

    PubMed

    Yu, Siran; Ye, Xuewei; Chen, Lu; Xie, Xin; Zhou, Qian; Lian, Xiao-Yuan; Zhang, Zhizhen

    2015-11-15

    Whether sulfated saponins from Holothuria moebii inhibit the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells and have anti-colorectal tumor effects in animal model has not been investigated. To evaluate the cytotoxic and anti-colorectal tumor effects of sulfated saponins from sea cucumber Holothuria moebii. (1) Column chromatography was used to prepare the total and individual saponins and HPLC was applied to define the components of the total saponins; (2) the activity of the total and individual saponins inhibiting the proliferation of human colorectal cancer cells was determined by SRB assay and the apoptosis induced by the saponins was qualified using cytometric analysis with Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining; and (3) the antitumor effects of the sulfated saponins on colorectal CT-26 tumor-bearing Balb/c mice were tested. The total and individual sulfated saponins significantly inhibited the proliferation of four different human colorectal cancer cells with IC50 values ranging from 1.04 to 4.08 μM (or 1.46 to 3.24 μg/ml for total saponins) and induced late apoptosis at an early treatment time in cancer cells. The total saponins (120 mg/kg) had antitumor activity in colorectal CT-26 tumor-bearing Balb/c mice. The sulfated saponins from H. moebii remarkably inhibited the proliferation of different human colorectal cancer cells and had significant anti-colorectal tumor activity in animal model. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  18. Anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic neoflavonoids and benzofurans from Pterocarpus santalinus.

    PubMed

    Wu, Shou-Fang; Chang, Fang-Rong; Wang, Sheng-Yang; Hwang, Tsong-Long; Lee, Chia-Lin; Chen, Shu-Li; Wu, Chin-Chung; Wu, Yang-Chang

    2011-05-27

    Five new benzofurans, pterolinuses A-E (1-5), six new neoflavonoids, pterolinuses F-J (8-13), and five known compounds (6, 7, 14-16) were isolated from an extract of Pterocarpus santalinus heartwood. All new structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, and configurations were confirmed by CD spectral data and optical rotation values. The isolates were evaluated for anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activities. Six compounds (1, 2, 4, 6, 7, and 15) showed significant inhibition in at least one anti-inflammatory assay. Compound 2 showed the best selective effect against superoxide anion generation in human neutrophils with, an IC50 value of 0.19 μg/mL, and was 6.2-fold more potent than the positive control LY294002. Compound 14 showed the highest cytotoxicity against Ca9-22 cancer cells, with an IC50 value of 0.46 μg/mL.

  19. Mitochondrial Targeting of Vitamin E Succinate Enhances Its Pro-apoptotic and Anti-cancer Activity via Mitochondrial Complex II*

    PubMed Central

    Dong, Lan-Feng; Jameson, Victoria J. A.; Tilly, David; Cerny, Jiri; Mahdavian, Elahe; Marín-Hernández, Alvaro; Hernández-Esquivel, Luz; Rodríguez-Enríquez, Sara; Stursa, Jan; Witting, Paul K.; Stantic, Bela; Rohlena, Jakub; Truksa, Jaroslav; Kluckova, Katarina; Dyason, Jeffrey C.; Ledvina, Miroslav; Salvatore, Brian A.; Moreno-Sánchez, Rafael; Coster, Mark J.; Ralph, Stephen J.; Smith, Robin A. J.; Neuzil, Jiri

    2011-01-01

    Mitochondrial complex II (CII) has been recently identified as a novel target for anti-cancer drugs. Mitochondrially targeted vitamin E succinate (MitoVES) is modified so that it is preferentially localized to mitochondria, greatly enhancing its pro-apoptotic and anti-cancer activity. Using genetically manipulated cells, MitoVES caused apoptosis and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in CII-proficient malignant cells but not their CII-dysfunctional counterparts. MitoVES inhibited the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity of CII with IC50 of 80 μm, whereas the electron transfer from CII to CIII was inhibited with IC50 of 1.5 μm. The agent had no effect either on the enzymatic activity of CI or on electron transfer from CI to CIII. Over 24 h, MitoVES caused stabilization of the oxygen-dependent destruction domain of HIF1α fused to GFP, indicating promotion of the state of pseudohypoxia. Molecular modeling predicted the succinyl group anchored into the proximal CII ubiquinone (UbQ)-binding site and successively reduced interaction energies for serially shorter phytyl chain homologs of MitoVES correlated with their lower effects on apoptosis induction, ROS generation, and SDH activity. Mutation of the UbQ-binding Ser68 within the proximal site of the CII SDHC subunit (S68A or S68L) suppressed both ROS generation and apoptosis induction by MitoVES. In vivo studies indicated that MitoVES also acts by causing pseudohypoxia in the context of tumor suppression. We propose that mitochondrial targeting of VES with an 11-carbon chain localizes the agent into an ideal position across the interface of the mitochondrial inner membrane and matrix, optimizing its biological effects as an anti-cancer drug. PMID:21059645

  20. Apoptosis Inducing Effect of Plumbagin on Colonic Cancer Cells Depends on Expression of COX-2

    PubMed Central

    Subramaniya, Bharathi Raja; Srinivasan, Gayathri; Mohammed Sadullah, Sakeena Sadullah; Davis, Nimitha; Baddi Reddi Subhadara, Lakshmi; Halagowder, Devaraj; Sivasitambaram, Niranjali Devaraj

    2011-01-01

    Plumbagin, a quinonoid found in the plants of the Plumbaginaceae, possesses medicinal properties. In this study we investigated the anti-proliferative and apoptotic activity of plumbagin by using two human colonic cancer cell lines, HT29 and HCT15. IC50 of Plumbagin for HCT15 and HT29 cells (22.5 µM and 62.5 µM, respectively) were significantly different. To study the response of cancer cells during treatment strategies, cells were treated with two different concentrations, 15 µM, 30 µM for HCT15 and 50 µM, 75 µM for HT29 cells. Though activation of NFκB, Caspases-3, elevated levels of TNF-α, cytosolic Cytochrome C were seen in both HCT15 cells HT29 treated with plumbagin, aberrant apoptosis with decreased level of pEGFR, pAkt, pGsk-3β, PCNA and Cyclin D1was observed only in 15 µM and 30 µM plumbagin treated HCT15 and 75 µM plumbagin treated HT29 cells. This suggests that plumbagin induces apoptosis in both HCT15 cells and HT29 treated, whereas, proliferation was inhibited only in 15 µM and 30 µM plumbagin treated HCT15 and 75 µM plumbagin treated HT29 cells, but not in 50 µM plumbagin treated HT29 cells. Expression of COX-2 was decreased in 75 µM plumbagin treated HT29 cells when compared to 50 µM plumbagin treated HT29 cells, whereas HCT15 cells lack COX. Hence the observed resistance to induction of apoptosis in 50 µM plumbagin treated HT29 cells are attributed to the expression of COX-2. In conclusion, plumbagin induces apoptosis in colonic cancer cells through TNF-α mediated pathway depending on expression of COX-2 expression. PMID:21559086

  1. Inhibiting the cytoplasmic location of HMGB1 reverses cisplatin resistance in human cervical cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Xia, Jiyi; Yu, Xiaolan; Song, Xueqin; Li, Gang; Mao, Xiguang; Zhang, Yujiao

    2017-01-01

    Cervical cancer is the fourth most common malignancy in women worldwide, and resistance to chemotherapy drugs is the biggest obstacle in the treatment of cervical cancers. In the present study, the molecular mechanisms underlying cisplatin resistance in human cervical cancer cells were investigated. When human cervical cancer cells were treated with 10 µg/ml of cisplatin for 24 and 48 h, high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein expression levels significantly increased in a time‑dependent manner. Comparisons between cisplatin‑sensitive HeLa cells and cisplatin‑resistant HeLa/DDP cells revealed higher levels of HMGB1 in HeLa/DDP cells than in HeLa cells. Additionally, the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value for cisplatin in HeLa/DDP cells was 5.3‑fold that in HeLa cells. Analysis of the distribution of cellular components revealed that HMGB1 translocation from the nucleus to cytoplasm contributed to cisplatin resistance. This was further confirmed by demonstration that ethyl pyruvate treatment suppressed the cytoplasmic translocation of HMGB1, resulting in inhibition of HeLa cell proliferation. Furthermore, endogenous HMGB1 was inhibited with HMGB1‑specific short hairpin (sh)RNA, and MTT assay results showed that interference with HMGB1 expression reduced cell viability and potentially reversed cisplatin resistance in HeLa cells. Transfection with HMGB1 shRNA was demonstrated to induce cell apoptosis in HeLa cells, as detected by FACS analysis. In addition, administration of recombinant HMGB1 protein in HeLa cells promoted cell autophagy, mediated by the phosphorylation of extracellular signal‑regulated kinase 1/2. Thus, cytoplasmic HMGB1 translocation and HMGB1‑induced cell autophagy are proposed to contribute to cisplatin resistance by inhibiting apoptosis of cervical cancer cells. HMGB1 could, therefore, represent a novel therapeutic target for, and a diagnostic marker of, chemotherapy resistant cervical cancers.

  2. Apigenin shows synergistic anticancer activity with curcumin by binding at different sites of tubulin.

    PubMed

    Choudhury, Diptiman; Ganguli, Arnab; Dastidar, Debabrata Ghosh; Acharya, Bipul R; Das, Amlan; Chakrabarti, Gopal

    2013-06-01

    Apigenin, a natural flavone, present in many plants sources, induced apoptosis and cell death in lung epithelium cancer (A549) cells with an IC50 value of 93.7 ± 3.7 μM for 48 h treatment. Target identification investigations using A549 cells and also in cell-free system demonstrated that apigenin depolymerized microtubules and inhibited reassembly of cold depolymerized microtubules of A549 cells. Again apigenin inhibited polymerization of purified tubulin with an IC50 value of 79.8 ± 2.4 μM. It bounds to tubulin in cell-free system and quenched the intrinsic fluorescence of tubulin in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The interaction was temperature-dependent and kinetics of binding was biphasic in nature with binding rate constants of 11.5 × 10(-7) M(-1) s(-1) and 4.0 × 10(-9) M(-1) s(-1) for fast and slow phases at 37 °C, respectively. The stoichiometry of tubulin-apigenin binding was 1:1 and binding the binding constant (Kd) was 6.08 ± 0.096 μM. Interestingly, apigenin showed synergistic anti-cancer effect with another natural anti-tubulin agent curcumin. Apigenin and curcumin synergistically induced cell death and apoptosis and also blocked cell cycle progression at G2/M phase of A549 cells. The synergistic activity of apigenin and curcumin was also apparent from their strong depolymerizing effects on interphase microtubules and inhibitory effect of reassembly of cold depolymerized microtubules when used in combinations, indicating that these ligands bind to tubulin at different sites. In silico modeling suggested apigenin bounds at the interphase of α-β-subunit of tubulin. The binding site is 19 Å in distance from the previously predicted curcumin binding site. Binding studies with purified protein also showed both apigenin and curcumin can simultaneously bind to purified tubulin. Understanding the mechanism of synergistic effect of apigenin and curcumin could be helped to develop anti-cancer combination drugs from cheap and readily available nutraceuticals. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  3. In vitro and in vivo evaluation of a 64Cu-labeled NOTA-Bn-SCN-Aoc-bombesin analogue in gastrin-releasing peptide receptor expressing prostate cancer.

    PubMed

    Craft, Jeffrey M; De Silva, Ravindra A; Lears, Kimberly A; Andrews, Rebecca; Liang, Kexian; Achilefu, Samuel; Rogers, Buck E

    2012-07-01

    Bombesin (BN) is an amphibian peptide that binds to the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR). It has been demonstrated that BN analogues can be radiolabeled for potential diagnosis and treatment of GRPR-expressing malignancies. Previous studies have conjugated various chelators to the eight C-terminal amino acids of BN [BN(7-14)] for radiolabeling with 64Cu. Recently, (1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid) (NOTA) has been evaluated as the five-coordinate 64Cu complex, with results indicating GRPR-specific tumor uptake. This study aimed to conjugate S-2-(4-isothiocyanatobenzyl)-NOTA (p-SCN-Bn-NOTA) to BN(7-14) such that it could form a six-coordinate complex with 64Cu and to evaluate the resulting peptide. p-SCN-NOTA was conjugated to 8-aminooctanoic acid (Aoc)-BN(7-14) in solution to yield NOTA-Bn-SCN-Aoc-BN(7-14). The unlabeled peptide was evaluated in a cell binding assay using PC-3 prostate cancer cells and 125I-Tyr4-BN to determine the IC50 value. The peptide was radiolabeled with 64Cu and evaluated for internalization into PC-3 cells and for tumor uptake in mice bearing PC-3 xenografts using biodistribution and micro-positron emission tomography imaging studies. The binding assay demonstrated that NOTA-Bn-SCN-Aoc-BN(7-14) bound with high affinity to GRPR with an IC50 of 1.4 nM. The radiolabeled peptide demonstrated time-dependent internalization into PC-3 cells. In vivo, the peptide demonstrated tumor-specific uptake and imaging that were comparable to those of previously reported 64Cu-labeled BN analogues. These studies demonstrate that 64Cu-NOTA-Bn-SCN-Aoc-BN(7-14) binds to GRPR-expressing cells and that it can be used for imaging of GRPR-expressing prostate cancer. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Oleanolic acid induces p53-dependent apoptosis via the ERK/JNK/AKT pathway in cancer cell lines in prostatic cancer xenografts in mice.

    PubMed

    Kim, Gyeong-Ji; Jo, Hyeon-Ju; Lee, Kwon-Jai; Choi, Jeong Woo; An, Jeung Hee

    2018-05-29

    We evaluated oleanolic acid (OA)-induced anti-cancer activity, apoptotic mechanism, cell cycle status, and MAPK kinase signaling in DU145 (prostate cancer), MCF-7 (breast cancer), U87 (human glioblastoma), normal murine liver cell (BNL CL.2) and human foreskin fibroblast cell lines (Hs 68). The IC50 values for OA-induced cytotoxicity were 112.57 in DU145, 132.29 in MCF-7, and 163.60 in U87 cells, respectively. OA did not exhibit toxicity in BNL CL. 2 and Hs 68 cell lines in our experiments. OA, at 100 µg/mL, increased the number of apoptotic cells to 27.0% in DU145, 27.0% in MCF-7, and 15.7% in U87, when compared to control cells. This enhanced apoptosis was due to increases in p53, cytochrome c, Bax, PARP-1 and caspase-3 expression in DU145, MCF-7 and U87 cell lines. OA-treated DU145 cells were arrested in G2 because of the activation of p-AKT, p-JNK, p21 and p27, and the decrease in p-ERK, cyclin B1 and CDK2 expression; OA-treated MCF-7 cells were arrested in G1 owing to the activation of p-JNK, p-ERK, p21, and p27, and the decrease in p-AKT, cyclin D1, CDK4, cyclin E, and CDK2; and OA-treated U87 cells also exhibited G1 phase arrest caused by the increase in p-ERK, p-JNK, p-AKT, p21, and p27, and the decrease in cyclin D1, CDK4, cyclin E and CDK2. Thus, OA arrested the cell cycle at different phases and induced apoptosis in cancer cells. These results suggested that OA possibly altered the expression of the cell cycle regulatory proteins differently in varying types of cancer.

  5. Tamoxifen synergizes with 4-(E)-{(4-hydroxyphenylimino)-methylbenzene, 1,2-diol} and 4-(E)-{(p-tolylimino)-methylbenzene-1,2-diol}, novel azaresveratrol analogs, in inhibiting the proliferation of breast cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    Ronghe, Amruta; Chatterjee, Anwesha; Bhat, Nimee K.; Padhye, Subhash; Bhat, Hari K.

    2016-01-01

    We have recently shown that 4-(E)-{(4-hydroxyphenylimino)-methylbenzene, 1,2-diol} (HPIMBD) and 4-(E)-{(p-tolylimino)-methylbenzene-1,2-diol} (TIMBD), novel analogs of resveratrol (Res), selectively inhibited the proliferation of breast cancer cells. In the current study, we tested HPIMBD and TIMBD individually in combination with tamoxifen (Tam) for inhibition of growth of breast cancer cells. Tamoxifen was first tested on non-neoplastic breast epithelial cell lines and its dose that does not inhibit their growth was determined. A combination of this low dose of Tam with either of the Res analogs HPIMBD or TIMBD, resulted in synergistic inhibition of proliferation of breast cancer cells. Both estrogen receptor (ER)-positive and negative breast cancer cell lines responded to the combination. The combination resulted in a substantial decrease in IC50 values of Res analogs in all breast cancer cell lines tested. Mechanistic studies showed a synergistic increase in apoptosis and autophagy genes (beclin-1 and LC3BII/I) with the combination in ER-negative MDA-MB-231 cells. In ER-positive MCF-7 and T47D cells, the mechanism of synergy was found to be inhibition of expression of ERα and oncogene c-Myc. The combination treatment had a synergistic effect in inhibiting the colony forming and spheroid forming ability of cancer cells. Taken together, our findings indicate that a combination of Tam and Res analogs HPIMBD or TIMBD represents a novel approach to enhancing the use of Tam in therapy for breast cancers. Considering the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies to treat ER-negative breast cancers and overcoming resistance in ER-positive cancers, this combinatorial approach is worthy of continued investigation. PMID:27351134

  6. Enhanced oral bioavailability of a sterol-loaded microemulsion formulation of Flammulina velutipes, a potential antitumor drug

    PubMed Central

    Yi, Chengxue; Zhong, Hui; Tong, Shanshan; Cao, Xia; Firempong, Caleb K; Liu, Hongfei; Fu, Min; Yang, Yan; Feng, Yingshu; Zhang, Huiyun; Xu, Ximing; Yu, Jiangnan

    2012-01-01

    Purpose To investigate the growth inhibition activity of Flammulina velutipes sterol (FVS) against certain human cancer cell lines (gastric SGC and colon LoVo) and to evaluate the optimum microemulsion prescription, as well as the pharmacokinetics of encapsulated FVS. Methods Molecules present in the FVS isolate were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis. The cell viability of FVS was assessed with methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) bioassay. Based on the solubility study, phase diagram and stability tests, the optimum prescription of F. velutipes sterol microemulsions (FVSMs) were determined, followed by FVSMs characterization, and its in vivo pharmacokinetic study in rats. Results The chemical composition of FVS was mainly ergosterol (54.8%) and 22,23-dihydroergosterol (27.9%). After 72 hours of treatment, both the FVS (half-maximal inhibitory concentration [IC50] = 11.99 μg · mL−1) and the standard anticancer drug, 5-fluorouracil (IC50 = 0.88 μg · mL−1) exhibited strong in vitro antiproliferative activity against SGC cells, with IC50 > 30.0 μg · mL−1; but the FVS performed poorly against LoVo cells (IC50 > 40.0 μg · mL−1). The optimal FVSMs prescription consisted of 3.0% medium chain triglycerides, 5.0% ethanol, 21.0% Cremophor EL and 71.0% water (w/w) with associated solubility of FVS being 0.680 mg · mL−1 as compared to free FVS (0.67 μg · mL−1). The relative oral bioavailability (area-under-the-curve values of ergosterol and 22,23-dihydroergosterol showed a 2.56-fold and 4.50-fold increase, respectively) of FVSMs (mean diameter ~ 22.9 nm) as against free FVS were greatly enhanced. Conclusion These results indicate that the FVS could be a potential candidate for the development of an anticancer drug and it is readily bioavailable via microemulsion formulations. PMID:23049254

  7. Synthesis of pyrimidine-2,4,6-trione derivatives: Anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, α-glucosidase, β-glucuronidase inhibition and their molecular docking studies.

    PubMed

    Barakat, Assem; Islam, Mohammad Shahidul; Al-Majid, Abdullah Mohammed; Ghabbour, Hazem A; Yousuf, Sammer; Ashraf, Mahwish; Shaikh, Nimra Naveed; Iqbal Choudhary, M; Khalil, Ruqaiya; Ul-Haq, Zaheer

    2016-10-01

    This paper describes a facile protocol, efficient, and environmentally benign for the synthesis a series of barbiturate acid substituted at C5 position 3a-o. The desired compounds subjected in vitro for different set of bioassays including against anti-oxidant (DPPH and super oxide scavenger assays), anti-cancer, α-glucosidase and β-glucuronidase inhibitions. Compound 3m (IC50=22.9±0.5μM) found to be potent α-glucosidase enzyme inhibitors and showed more activity than standard acarbose (IC50=841±1.73μM). Compound 3f (IC50=86.9±4.33μM) found to be moderate β-Glucuronidase enzyme inhibitors and showed activity comparatively less than the standard d-saccharic acid 1,4-lactone (IC50=45.75±2.16μM). Furthermore, in sillico investigation was carried out to investigate bonding mode of barbiturate acid derivatives. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. The potential of deferasirox as a novel therapeutic modality in gastric cancer.

    PubMed

    Choi, Jung Hye; Kim, Jung Soon; Won, Young Woong; Uhm, Jieun; Park, Byeong Bae; Lee, Young Yiul

    2016-03-10

    Iron is a crucial element for cell proliferation, growth, and metabolism. However, excess iron and altered iron metabolism are both associated with tumor initiation and tumor growth. Deferasirox is an oral iron chelator. Although some studies have indicated that deferasirox is a promising candidate for anti-cancer therapies, its effectiveness against gastric cancer has not yet been determined. This study was conducted to determine whether deferasirox exerts anti-tumor effects in gastric cancer cell lines and whether deferasirox and cisplatin act synergistically. Four human gastric cancer cell lines (AGS, MKN-28, SNU-484, and SNU-638) were treated with various concentrations of deferasirox to determine the IC50 for each cell line. The effects of deferasirox on the cell cycle were evaluated by flow cytometry, and the effects of deferasirox on iron metabolism, the cell cycle, and apoptosis were assessed by Western blotting. To determine whether deferasirox enhances the effect of cisplatin, AGS cells were cultured in the presence and absence of cisplatin. Deferasirox inhibited the proliferation of all gastric cancer cell lines as assessed by MTT assays. Since the IC50 of deferasirox was the lowest (below 10 μM) in AGS cells, subsequent experiments were performed in this line. Deferasirox upregulated transferrin receptor 1 expression and decreased ferroportin expression. Moreover, deferasirox induced G1 arrest; upregulated p21, p27, and p53 expression; and downregulated cyclin D1, cyclin B, and CDK4 expression. Furthermore, deferasirox induced apoptosis, upregulated N-myc downstream regulated gene 1 (NDRG1), and downregulated p-mTOR and c-myc expression. It was also found to act synergistically with cisplatin. Our results suggest that deferasirox may exert anti-tumor effects in the context of gastric cancer. Deferasirox affects a number of different pathways and molecules; for instance, deferasirox upregulates NDRG1 expression, inhibits the cell cycle, downregulates mTOR and c-myc expression, and induces apoptosis. In addition, deferasirox appears to potentiate the anti-cancer effects of cisplatin. Although the efficacy of deferasirox remains to be tested in future studies, the results presented here indicate that deferasirox is a promising novel anti-cancer therapeutic agent.

  9. Bozepinib, a novel small antitumor agent, induces PKR-mediated apoptosis and synergizes with IFNα triggering apoptosis, autophagy and senescence

    PubMed Central

    Marchal, Juan Antonio; Carrasco, Esther; Ramirez, Alberto; Jiménez, Gema; Olmedo, Carmen; Peran, Macarena; Agil, Ahmad; Conejo-García, Ana; Cruz-López, Olga; Campos, Joaquin María; García, María Ángel

    2013-01-01

    Bozepinib [(RS)-2,6-dichloro-9-[1-(p-nitrobenzenesulfonyl)-1,2,3,5-tetrahydro-4,1-benzoxazepin-3-yl]-9H-purine] is a potent antitumor compound that is able to induce apoptosis in breast cancer cells. In the present study, we show that bozepinib also has antitumor activity in colon cancer cells, showing 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values lower than those described for breast cancer cells and suggesting great potential of this synthetic drug in the treatment of cancer. We identified that the double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) is a target of bozepinib, being upregulated and activated by the drug. However, p53 was not affected by bozepinib, and was not necessary for induction of apoptosis in either breast or colon cancer cells. In addition, the efficacy of bozepinib was improved when combined with the interferon-alpha (IFNα) cytokine, which enhanced bozepinib-induced apoptosis with involvement of protein kinase PKR. Moreover, we report here, for the first time, that in combined therapy, IFNα induces a clear process of autophagosome formation, and prior treatment with chloroquine, an autophagy inhibitor, is able to significantly reduce IFNα/bozepinib-induced cell death. Finally, we observed that a minor population of caspase 3-deficient MCF-7 cells persisted during long-term treatment with lower doses of bozepinib and the bozepinib/IFNα combination. Curiously, this population showed β-galactosidase activity and a percentage of cells arrested in S phase, that was more evident in cells treated with the bozepinib/IFNα combination than in cells treated with bozepinib or IFNα alone. Considering the resistance of some cancer cells to conventional chemotherapy, combinations enhancing the diversity of the cell death outcome might succeed in delivering more effective and less toxic chemotherapy. PMID:24194639

  10. In vitro toxicity assay of cisplatin on mouse acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and spermatogonial stem cells.

    PubMed

    Shabani, R; Ashtari, K; Behnam, B; Izadyar, F; Asgari, H; Asghari Jafarabadi, M; Ashjari, M; Asadi, E; Koruji, M

    2016-06-01

    Testicular cancer is the most common cancer affecting men in reproductive age, and cisplatin is one of the major helpful chemotherapeutic agents for treatment of this cancer. In addition, exposure of testes cancer cells to cisplatin could potentially eliminate tumour cells from germ cells in patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cisplatin on viability of mouse acute lymphoblastic leukaemia cell line (EL-4) and neonatal mouse spermatogonial cells in vitro. In this study, the isolated spermatogonial stem cells (SSC) and EL-4 were divided into six groups including control (received medium), sham (received DMSO in medium) and experimental groups which received different doses of cisplatin (0.5, 5, 10 and 15 μg ml(-1) ). Cells viability was evaluated with MTT assay. The identity of the cultured cells was confirmed by the expression of specific markers. Our finding showed that viability of both SSC and EL-4 cells was reduced with the dose of 15 μg/ml when compared to the control group (P ≤ 0.05). Also, the differences between the IC50 in doses 10 and 15 μg/ml at different time were significant (P ≤ 0.05). The number of TUNEL-positive cells was increased, and the BAX and caspase-3 expressions were upregulated in EL4 cells for group that received an effective dose of cisplatin). In conclusion, despite the dramatic effects of cisplatin on both cells, spermatogonial stem cells could form colony in culture. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  11. The Urtica dioica extract enhances sensitivity of paclitaxel drug to MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Mohammadi, Ali; Mansoori, Behzad; Aghapour, Mahyar; Shirjang, Solmaz; Nami, Sanam; Baradaran, Behzad

    2016-10-01

    Due to the chemo resistant nature of cancer cells and adverse effects of current therapies, researchers are looking for the most efficient therapeutic approach which has the lowest side effects and the highest toxicity on cancer cells. The aim of the present study was to investigate the synergic effect of Urtica dioica extract in combination with paclitaxel on cell death and invasion of human breast cancer MDA-MB-468 cell line. To determine the cytotoxic effects of Urtica dioica extract with paclitaxel, MTT assay was performed. The scratch test was exploited to assess the effects of Urtica dioica, Paclitaxel alone and combination on migration of cancer cells. The expression levels of snail-1, ZEB1, ZEB2, twist, Cdc2, cyclin B1 and Wee1 genes were quantified using qRT-PCR and western blot performed for snail-1expression. The effects of plant extract, Paclitaxel alone and combination on different phases of cell cycle was analyzed using flow cytometry. Results of MTT assay showed that Urtica dioica significantly destroyed cancer cells. Interestingly, Concurrent use of Urtica dioica extract with paclitaxel resulted in decreased IC50 dose of paclitaxel. Moreover, findings of scratch assay exhibited the inhibitory effects of Urtica dioica, Paclitaxel alone and combination on migration of MDA-MB-468 cell line. Our findings also demonstrated that the extract substantially decreased the Snail-1 and related gene expression. Ultimately, Cell cycle arrest occurred at G2/M phase post-treatment by deregulating Cdc2 and wee1. Our results demonstrated that the dichloromethane extract of Urtica dioica inhibit cell growth and migration. Also, Urtica dioica extract substantially increased sensitivity of breast cancer cells to paclitaxel. Therefore, it can be used as a potential candidate for treatment of breast cancer with paclitaxel. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  12. Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides Derived from Crocodylus siamensis Leukocyte Extract, Revealing Anticancer Activity and Apoptotic Induction on Human Cervical Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Theansungnoen, Tinnakorn; Maijaroen, Surachai; Jangpromma, Nisachon; Yaraksa, Nualyai; Daduang, Sakda; Temsiripong, Theeranan; Daduang, Jureerut; Klaynongsruang, Sompong

    2016-06-01

    Known antimicrobial peptides KT2 and RT2 as well as the novel RP9 derived from the leukocyte extract of the freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) were used to evaluate the ability in killing human cervical cancer cells. RP9 in the extract was purified by a combination of anion exchange column and reversed-phase HPLC, and its sequence was analyzed by mass spectrometry. The novel peptide could inhibit Gram-negative Vibrio cholerae (clinical isolation) and Gram-positive Bacillus pumilus TISTR 905, and its MIC values were 61.2 µM. From scanning electron microscopy, the peptide was seen to affect bacterial surfaces directly. KT2 and RT2, which are designed antimicrobial peptides using the C. siamensis Leucrocin I template, as well as RP9 were chemically synthesized for investigation of anticancer activity. By Sulforhodamine B colorimetric assay, these antimicrobial peptides could inhibit both HeLa and CaSki cancer cell lines. The IC50 values of KT2 and RT2 for HeLa and CaSki cells showed 28.7-53.4 and 17.3-30.8 µM, while those of RP9 were 126.2 and 168.3 µM, respectively. Additionally, the best candidate peptides KT2 and RT2 were used to determine the apoptotic induction on cancer cells by human apoptosis array assay. As a result, KT2 and RT2 were observed to induce apoptotic cell death in HeLa cells. Therefore, these results indicate that KT2 and RT2 with antimicrobial activity have a highly potent ability to kill human cervical cancer cells.

  13. 15-Deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 Induces Apoptosis and Upregulates SOCS3 in Human Thyroid Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Trindade-da-Silva, Carlos Antônio; Reis, Carolina Fernandes; Vecchi, Lara; Napimoga, Marcelo Henrique; Sperandio, Marcelo; Matias Colombo, Bruna França; Alves, Patrícia Terra; Ward, Laura Sterian; Ueira-Vieira, Carlos; Goulart, Luiz Ricardo

    2016-01-01

    The cyclopentenone prostaglandin 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 (15d-PGJ2) is a natural ligand of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) and a potential mediator of apoptosis in cancer cells. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of 15d-PGJ2 in human thyroid papillary carcinoma cells (TPC-1) using different doses of 15d-PGJ2 (0.6 to 20 μM) to determine IC50 (9.3 μM) via the MTT assay. The supernatant culture medium of the TPC-1 cells that was treated either with 15d-PGJ2 or with vehicle (control) for 24 hours was assessed for IL-6 secretion via CBA assay. RT-qPCR was used to evaluate mRNA expression of IL-6, SOCS1, SOCS3, and STAT3. TPC-1 cells treated with 15d-PGJ2 decreased the secretion and expression of IL-6 and STAT3, while it increased SOCS1 and SOCS3. Overall, we demonstrated that 15d-PGJ2 downregulated IL-6 signaling pathway and led TPC-1 cells into apoptosis. In conclusion, 15d-PGJ2 shows the potential to become a new therapeutic approach for thyroid tumors. PMID:27190500

  14. Anti-hepatocarcinoma effects of resveratrol nanoethosomes against human HepG2 cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meng, Xiang-Ping; Zhang, Zhen; Chen, Tong-sheng; Wang, Yi-fei; Wang, Zhi-ping

    2017-02-01

    Hepatocarcinoma, a malignant cancer, threaten human life badly. It is a current issue to seek the effective natural remedy from plant to treat cancer due to the resistance of the advanced hepatocarcinoma to chemotherapy. Resveratrol (Res) has been widely investigated with its strong anti-tumor activity. However, its low oral bioavailability restricts its wide application. In this study, we prepared resveratrol nanoethosomes (ResN) via ethanol injection method. The in vitro anti-hepatocarcinoma effects of ResN relative to efficacy of bulk Res were evaluated on proliferation and apoptosis of human HepG2 cells. ResN were spherical vesicles and its particle diameter, zeta potential were (115.8 +/- 1.3) nm and (-12.8 +/- 1.9) mV, respectively. ResN exhibited significant inhibitory effects against human HepG2 cells by MTT assay, and the IC50 value was 49.2 μg/ml (105.4 μg/ml of Res bulk solution). By flow cytometry assay, there was an increase in G2/M phase cells treated with ResN. The results demonstrated ResN could effectively block the G2/M phase of HepG2 cells, which can also enhance the inhibitory effect of Res against HepG2 cells.

  15. Viwithan, a Standardized Withania somnifera Root Extract Induces Apoptosis in Murine Melanoma Cells.

    PubMed

    Sudeep, H V; Gouthamchandra, K; Venkatesh, B J; Prasad, K Shyam

    2018-01-01

    Withania somnifera is an Indian medicinal herb known for the multipotential ability to cure various therapeutic ailments as described in the ayurvedic system of medicine. In the present study, we have evaluated the antiproliferative activity of a standardized W. somnifera root extract (Viwithan) against different human and murine cancer cell lines. The cytotoxicity of Viwithan was determined using thiazolyl blue tetrazolium blue assay and crystal violet staining. The apoptotic changes in B16F1 cells following treatment with Viwithan were observed by acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining and DNA fragmentation assay. The binding affinity of withanolides in Viwithan with antiapoptotic proteins B-cell lymphoma 2, B-cell lymphoma-extra large, and myeloid cell leukemia 1 (MCL-1) were studied using in silico approach. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of Viwithan against liver hepatocellular carcinoma, Henrietta Lacks cervical carcinoma cells, human colorectal carcinoma cell line, and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells were 1830, 968, 2715, and 633 μg/ml, respectively. Interestingly, Viwithan was highly effective against B16F1 cells with an IC50 value of 220 μg/ml after 24 h treatment. The morphological alterations of apoptotic cell death were clearly observed in the AO/EB-stained cells after treatment with Viwithan. Viwithan induced late apoptotic changes in treated B16F1 cells as evident by the ladder formation of fragmented DNA in a time-dependent manner. The findings of molecular docking showed that withanolides present in Viwithan have a more binding affinity with the antiapoptotic proteins, particularly MCL-1. We have reported for the first time that Viwithan with 5% withanolides has a potent cytotoxic effect, particularly against B16F1 murine melanoma cells among the different cancer cell lines tested. The present study reports for the first time that Viwithan, a standardized 5% Withania somnifera root extract, has potent cytotoxicity against B16F1 murine melanoma cellsWe have investigated the in vitro cytotoxicity of Viwithan in different human and murine cancer cells. Interestingly, we found that Viwithan was particularly very effective against B16F1 melanoma cells with a half maximal inhibitory concentration value of 220 μg/mlThe microscopic observations following acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining and DNA fragmentation assays clearly indicated that Viwithan might initiate late apoptosis in B16F1 cellsThe binding affinity of withanolides in Viwithan with antiapoptotic proteins of B-cell lymphoma 2 family was predicted using AutoDock tool. The results from in silico studies indicated a plausible synergistic effect of withanolides attributing to the Viwithan-induced apoptosis through suppression of intrinsic pathway for carcinogenesis. Abbreviations used: MTT: Thiazolyl blue tetrazolium blue; DMSO: Dimethyl sulfoxide; BSA: Bovine serum albumin; DMEM: Dulbecco's minimum essential medium; NCCS: National Centre for Cell Science; PBS: Phosphate-Buffered Saline; HepG2: Liver hepatocellular carcinoma; HeLa: Henrietta Lacks cervical carcinoma cells; HCT-116: Human colorectal carcinoma cell line; EAC: Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells; IC50: Half maximal inhibitory concentration; AO/EB: Acridine orange/Ethidium bromide; BCL-2: B-cell lymphoma 2; BCL-XL: B-cell lymphoma-extra large; MCL-1: Myeloid cell leukemia 1; PDB: Protein Data Bank; ANOVA: Analysis of variance.

  16. Viwithan, a Standardized Withania somnifera Root Extract Induces Apoptosis in Murine Melanoma Cells

    PubMed Central

    Sudeep, H.V.; Gouthamchandra, K.; Venkatesh, B. J.; Prasad, K. Shyam

    2017-01-01

    Background: Withania somnifera is an Indian medicinal herb known for the multipotential ability to cure various therapeutic ailments as described in the ayurvedic system of medicine. Objective: In the present study, we have evaluated the antiproliferative activity of a standardized W. somnifera root extract (Viwithan) against different human and murine cancer cell lines. Materials and Methods: The cytotoxicity of Viwithan was determined using thiazolyl blue tetrazolium blue assay and crystal violet staining. The apoptotic changes in B16F1 cells following treatment with Viwithan were observed by acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining and DNA fragmentation assay. The binding affinity of withanolides in Viwithan with antiapoptotic proteins B-cell lymphoma 2, B-cell lymphoma-extra large, and myeloid cell leukemia 1 (MCL-1) were studied using in silico approach. Results: The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of Viwithan against liver hepatocellular carcinoma, Henrietta Lacks cervical carcinoma cells, human colorectal carcinoma cell line, and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells were 1830, 968, 2715, and 633 μg/ml, respectively. Interestingly, Viwithan was highly effective against B16F1 cells with an IC50 value of 220 μg/ml after 24 h treatment. The morphological alterations of apoptotic cell death were clearly observed in the AO/EB-stained cells after treatment with Viwithan. Viwithan induced late apoptotic changes in treated B16F1 cells as evident by the ladder formation of fragmented DNA in a time-dependent manner. The findings of molecular docking showed that withanolides present in Viwithan have a more binding affinity with the antiapoptotic proteins, particularly MCL-1. Conclusion: We have reported for the first time that Viwithan with 5% withanolides has a potent cytotoxic effect, particularly against B16F1 murine melanoma cells among the different cancer cell lines tested. SUMMARY The present study reports for the first time that Viwithan, a standardized 5% Withania somnifera root extract, has potent cytotoxicity against B16F1 murine melanoma cellsWe have investigated the in vitro cytotoxicity of Viwithan in different human and murine cancer cells. Interestingly, we found that Viwithan was particularly very effective against B16F1 melanoma cells with a half maximal inhibitory concentration value of 220 μg/mlThe microscopic observations following acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining and DNA fragmentation assays clearly indicated that Viwithan might initiate late apoptosis in B16F1 cellsThe binding affinity of withanolides in Viwithan with antiapoptotic proteins of B-cell lymphoma 2 family was predicted using AutoDock tool. The results from in silico studies indicated a plausible synergistic effect of withanolides attributing to the Viwithan-induced apoptosis through suppression of intrinsic pathway for carcinogenesis. Abbreviations used: MTT: Thiazolyl blue tetrazolium blue; DMSO: Dimethyl sulfoxide; BSA: Bovine serum albumin; DMEM: Dulbecco's minimum essential medium; NCCS: National Centre for Cell Science; PBS: Phosphate-Buffered Saline; HepG2: Liver hepatocellular carcinoma; HeLa: Henrietta Lacks cervical carcinoma cells; HCT-116: Human colorectal carcinoma cell line; EAC: Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells; IC50: Half maximal inhibitory concentration; AO/EB: Acridine orange/Ethidium bromide; BCL-2: B-cell lymphoma 2; BCL-XL: B-cell lymphoma-extra large; MCL-1: Myeloid cell leukemia 1; PDB: Protein Data Bank; ANOVA: Analysis of variance. PMID:29491636

  17. Cytotoxic effects of Mangifera indica L. kernel extract on human breast cancer (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines) and bioactive constituents in the crude extract.

    PubMed

    Abdullah, Al-Shwyeh Hussah; Mohammed, Abdulkarim Sabo; Abdullah, Rasedee; Mirghani, Mohamed Elwathig Saeed; Al-Qubaisi, Mothanna

    2014-06-25

    Waterlily Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is thought to be antioxidant-rich, conferred by its functional phytochemicals. The potential anticancer effects of the ethanolic kernel extract on breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) using MTT, anti-proliferation, neutral red (NR) uptake and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assays were evaluated. Cytological studies on the breast cancer cells were also conducted, and phytochemical analyses of the extract were carried out to determine the likely bioactive compounds responsible for such effects. Results showed the extract induced cytotoxicity in MDA-MB-231 cells and MCF-7 cells with IC50 values of 30 and 15 μg/mL, respectively. The extract showed significant toxicity towards both cell lines, with low toxicity to normal breast cells (MCF-10A). The cytotoxic effects on the cells were further confirmed by the NR uptake, antiproliferative and LDH release assays. Bioactive analyses revealed that many bioactives were present in the extract although butylated hydroxytoluene, a potent antioxidant, was the most abundant with 44.65%. M. indica extract appears to be more cytoxic to both estrogen positive and negative breast cancer cell lines than to normal breast cells. Synergistic effects of its antioxidant bioactives could have contributed to the cytotoxic effects of the extract. The extract of M. indica, therefore, has potential anticancer activity against breast cancer cells. This potential is worth studying further, and could have implications on future studies and eventually management of human breast cancers.

  18. Cytotoxic effects of Mangifera indica L. kernel extract on human breast cancer (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines) and bioactive constituents in the crude extract

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Waterlily Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is thought to be antioxidant-rich, conferred by its functional phytochemicals. Methods The potential anticancer effects of the ethanolic kernel extract on breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) using MTT, anti-proliferation, neutral red (NR) uptake and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assays were evaluated. Cytological studies on the breast cancer cells were also conducted, and phytochemical analyses of the extract were carried out to determine the likely bioactive compounds responsible for such effects. Results Results showed the extract induced cytotoxicity in MDA-MB-231 cells and MCF-7 cells with IC50 values of 30 and 15 μg/mL, respectively. The extract showed significant toxicity towards both cell lines, with low toxicity to normal breast cells (MCF-10A). The cytotoxic effects on the cells were further confirmed by the NR uptake, antiproliferative and LDH release assays. Bioactive analyses revealed that many bioactives were present in the extract although butylated hydroxytoluene, a potent antioxidant, was the most abundant with 44.65%. Conclusions M. indica extract appears to be more cytoxic to both estrogen positive and negative breast cancer cell lines than to normal breast cells. Synergistic effects of its antioxidant bioactives could have contributed to the cytotoxic effects of the extract. The extract of M. indica, therefore, has potential anticancer activity against breast cancer cells. This potential is worth studying further, and could have implications on future studies and eventually management of human breast cancers. PMID:24962691

  19. Cytotoxic Activity of Propolis Extracts from the Stingless Bee Trigona Sirindhornae Against Primary and Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer Cell Lines

    PubMed

    Utispan, Kusumawadee; Chitkul, Bordin; Koontongkaew, Sittichai

    2017-04-01

    Background: Propolis, a resinous substance produced by the honeybee, has a wide spectrum of potent biological activities. However, anti-cancer activity of propolis obtained from Trigona sirindhornae, a new species of stingless bee, has not yet been reported. This study concerned cytotoxicity of propolis extracts from T. sirindhornae against two head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines. Materials and Methods: A dichloromethane extract of propolis (DMEP) was prepared generating 3 fractions: DMEP-A, DMEP-B, and DMEP-C. Genetically-matched HNSCC cell lines derived from primary (HN30) and metastatic sites (HN31) in the same patient were used to study cytotoxic effects of the DMEPs by MTT assays. The active compounds in the DMEPs were analyzed by reversephase high performance liquid chromatography. Results: DMEP-A exhibited cytotoxic activity on HN30 cells with significantly decreased viability at 200 μg/ml compared with the control (p<0.05). However, no significant cytotoxic effect was evident in HN31 cells. DMEP-B and DMEP-C significantly decreased the viability of both cell lines from 100–200 μg/ml and 50–200 μg/ml, respectively (p<0.05). Interestingly, HN31 cells were more toxically sensitive compared with the HN30 cells when treated with DMEP-B and DMEP-C. IC50 values for DMEP-B with HN30 and HN31 cells were more than 200 μg/ml and 199.8±1.05 μg/ml, respectively. The IC50 of DMEP-C to HN30 and HN31 cells was found to be 114.3±1.29 and 76.33±1.24 μg/ml, respectively. Notably, apigenin, pinocembrin, p-coumaric acid, and caffeic acid were not detected in our propolis extracts. Conclusion: T. sirindhornae produced propolis displays cytotoxic effects against HNSCC cells s. Moreover, DMEP-B and DMEP-C differentially inhibited the proliferation of a metastatic HNSCC cell line. Creative Commons Attribution License

  20. Inhibitory effects of different forms of tocopherols, tocopherol phosphates, and tocopherol quinones on growth of colon cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Dolfi, Sonia C; Yang, Zhihong; Lee, Mao-Jung; Guan, Fei; Hong, Jungil; Yang, Chung S

    2013-09-11

    Tocopherols are the major source of dietary vitamin E. In this study, the growth inhibitory effects of different forms of tocopherols (T), tocopheryl phosphates (TP), and tocopherol quinones (TQ) on human colon cancer HCT116 and HT29 cells were investigated. δ-T was more active than γ-T in inhibiting colon cancer cell growth, decreasing cancer cell colony formation, and inducing apoptosis; however, α-T was rather ineffective. Similarly, the rate of cellular uptake also followed the ranking order δ-T > γ-T ≫ α-T. TP and TQ generally had higher inhibitory activities than their parent compounds. Interestingly, the γ forms of TP and TQ were more active than the δ forms in inhibiting cancer cell growth, whereas the α forms were the least effective. The potencies of γ-TQ and δ-TQ (showing IC50 values of ∼0.8 and ∼2 μM on HCT116 cells after a 72 h incubation, respectively) were greater than 100-fold and greater than 20-fold higher, respectively, than those of their parent tocopherols. Induction of cancer cell apoptosis by δ-T, γ-TP, and γ-TQ was characterized by the cleavage of caspase 3 and PARP1 and DNA fragmentation. These studies demonstrated the higher growth inhibitory activity of δ-T than γ-T, the even higher activities of the γ forms of TP and TQ, and the ineffectiveness of the α forms of tocopherol and their metabolites against colon cancer cells.

  1. Effect of Ottoman Viper (Montivipera xanthina (Gray, 1849)) Venom on Various Cancer Cells and on Microorganisms.

    PubMed

    Yalcın, Husniye Tansel; Ozen, Mehmet Ozgün; Gocmen, Bayram; Nalbantsoy, Ayse

    2014-01-01

    Cytotoxic and antimicrobial effects of Montivipera xanthina venom against LNCaP, MCF-7, HT-29, Saos-2, Hep3B, Vero cells and antimicrobial activity against selected bacterial and fungal species: Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, E. coli O157H7, Enterococcus faecalis 29212, Enterococcus faecium DSM 13590, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228, S. typhimirium CCM 5445, Proteus vulgaris ATCC 6957 and Candida albicans ATCC 10239 were studied for evaluating the potential medical benefit of this snake venom. Cytotoxicity of venom was determined using MTT assay. Snake venom cytotoxicity was expressed as the venom dose that killed 50 % of the cells (IC50). The antimicrobial activity of venom was studied by minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and disc diffusion assay. MIC was determined using broth dilution method. The estimated IC50 values of venom varied from 3.8 to 12.7 or from 1.9 to 7.2 μg/ml after treatment with crude venom for 24 or 48 h for LNCaP, MCF-7, HT-29 and Saos-2 cells. There was no observable cytotoxic effect on Hep3B and Vero cells. Venom exhibited the most potent activity against C. albicans (MIC, 7.8 μg/ml and minimal fungicidal concentration, 62.5 μg/ml) and S. aureus (MIC, 31.25 μg/ml). This study is the first report showing the potential of M. xanthina venom as an alternative therapeutic approach due to its cytotoxic and antimicrobial effects.

  2. Antiproliferative activity and induction of apoptotic by ethanolic extract of Alpinia galanga rhizhome in human breast carcinoma cell line.

    PubMed

    Samarghandian, Saeed; Hadjzadeh, Mousa-Al-Reza; Afshari, Jalil Tavakkol; Hosseini, Mohadeseh

    2014-06-17

    We investigated the potential of galangal rhizomes to induce cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in the cultured human breast carcinoma cell line, (MCF-7) in compare with the non-malignant (MRC-5) cells. Both cells were cultured in DMEM medium and treated with galangal rhizomes for three consecutive days. The percentage of apoptotic cells was determined by flow cytometry using Annexin-V fluorescein isothiocyanate. The results showed that the ethanolic extract of galangal rhizomes decreased cell viability in the malignant cells as a concentration- and time- dependent manner. The IC50 values against MCF-7 were determined at 400.0 ± 11.7 and 170.0 ± 5.9 μg/ml after 48 and 72 h respectively. The morphology of MCF-7 cells treated with the ethanolic extract confirmed the cell proliferation assay results. Alpinia galanga induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells, as determined by flow cytometry. We concluded that the extract of Alpinia galanga exerts pro-apoptotic effects in a breast cancer-derived cell line and could be considered as a potential chemotherapeutic agent in breast cancer.

  3. In Silico Study and Cytotoxicity of the Synthesized Open-chain Analogues of Antimycin A3 Against HEP-2 Laryngeal Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Arsianti, Ade; Fadilah, Fadilah; Kusmardi, Kusmardi; Sugiarta, Gede Y.; Tanimoto, Hiroki; Kakiuchi, Kiyomi

    2017-01-01

    Background: Laryngeal cancers affect one quarter of all head and neck cancers. Chemotherapy is a standard method in treatment laryngeal carcinoma. How-ever, cancer chemotherapy is often a failure due to the appearance of drug resistance. This fact suggests that the search for novel, safe, and more effective laryngeal cancer drugs are required. Antimycin A3 is a fit ligand of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2. While Bcl-2 is known to be over-expressed in laryngeal cancer cell, it is quite reasonable to expect an-timycin A3 and its analogue to induce apoptosis in those cells. Methods: With this viewpoint, we decided to conduct research that is aimed to evaluate cytotoxic activity of the synthesized open-chain analogues of antimycin A3 against HEP-2 laryngeal cancer cells, as well as to conduct in silico study of the analogues on receptor binding target Bcl-2 of laryngeal cancer. Results and Conclusion: Open-chain analogues of antimycin A3 were successfully syn-thesized in a good yield from Boc-L-Threonine by esterification, amidation, and Sharp-less asymmetric dihydroxylation. Consistent with in silico study, the analogues exhibited a greater anticancer activity against laryngeal HEP-2 cells than the original antimycin A3 with IC50 ranging of 31.6 µM to 46.3 µM. Our results clearly demonstrate that the open-chain analogues of an-timycin A3 as a promising candidates of new anti-laryngeal cancer agents.

  4. New Indole Tubulin Assembly Inhibitors Cause Stable Arrest of Mitotic Progression, Enhanced Stimulation of Natural Killer Cell Cytotoxic Activity, and Repression of Hedgehog-Dependent Cancer.

    PubMed

    La Regina, Giuseppe; Bai, Ruoli; Coluccia, Antonio; Famiglini, Valeria; Pelliccia, Sveva; Passacantilli, Sara; Mazzoccoli, Carmela; Ruggieri, Vitalba; Verrico, Annalisa; Miele, Andrea; Monti, Ludovica; Nalli, Marianna; Alfonsi, Romina; Di Marcotullio, Lucia; Gulino, Alberto; Ricci, Biancamaria; Soriani, Alessandra; Santoni, Angela; Caraglia, Michele; Porto, Stefania; Da Pozzo, Eleonora; Martini, Claudia; Brancale, Andrea; Marinelli, Luciana; Novellino, Ettore; Vultaggio, Stefania; Varasi, Mario; Mercurio, Ciro; Bigogno, Chiara; Dondio, Giulio; Hamel, Ernest; Lavia, Patrizia; Silvestri, Romano

    2015-08-13

    We designed 39 new 2-phenylindole derivatives as potential anticancer agents bearing the 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl moiety with a sulfur, ketone, or methylene bridging group at position 3 of the indole and with halogen or methoxy substituent(s) at positions 4-7. Compounds 33 and 44 strongly inhibited the growth of the P-glycoprotein-overexpressing multi-drug-resistant cell lines NCI/ADR-RES and Messa/Dx5. At 10 nM, 33 and 44 stimulated the cytotoxic activity of NK cells. At 20-50 nM, 33 and 44 arrested >80% of HeLa cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, with stable arrest of mitotic progression. Cell cycle arrest was followed by cell death. Indoles 33, 44, and 81 showed strong inhibition of the SAG-induced Hedgehog signaling activation in NIH3T3 Shh-Light II cells with IC50 values of 19, 72, and 38 nM, respectively. Compounds of this class potently inhibited tubulin polymerization and cancer cell growth, including stimulation of natural killer cell cytotoxic activity and repression of Hedgehog-dependent cancer.

  5. New Indole Tubulin Assembly Inhibitors Cause Stable Arrest of Mitotic Progression, Enhanced Stimulation of Natural Killer Cell Cytotoxic Activity, and Repression of Hedgehog-Dependent Cancer

    PubMed Central

    La Regina, Giuseppe; Bai, Ruoli; Coluccia, Antonio; Famiglini, Valeria; Pelliccia, Sveva; Passacantilli, Sara; Mazzoccoli, Carmela; Ruggieri, Vitalba; Verrico, Annalisa; Miele, Andrea; Monti, Ludovica; Nalli, Marianna; Alfonsi, Romina; Di Marcotullio, Lucia; Gulino, Alberto; Ricci, Biancamaria; Soriani, Alessandra; Santoni, Angela; Caraglia, Michele; Porto, Stefania; Pozzo, Eleonora Da; Martini, Claudia; Brancale, Andrea; Marinelli, Luciana; Novellino, Ettore; Vultaggio, Stefania; Varasi, Mario; Mercurio, Ciro; Bigogno, Chiara; Dondio, Giulio; Hamel, Ernest; Lavia, Patrizia; Silvestri, Romano

    2015-01-01

    We designed 39 new 2-phenylindole derivatives as potential anticancer agents bearing the 3,4,5-trimethox-yphenyl moiety with a sulfur, ketone, or methylene bridging group at position 3 of the indole and with halogen or methoxy substituent(s) at positions 4–7. Compounds 33 and 44 strongly inhibited the growth of the P-glycoprotein-overexpressing multi-drug-resistant cell lines NCI/ADR-RES and Messa/Dx5. At 10 nM, 33 and 44 stimulated the cytotoxic activity of NK cells. At 20–50 nM, 33 and 44 arrested >80% of HeLa cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, with stable arrest of mitotic progression. Cell cycle arrest was followed by cell death. Indoles 33, 44, and 81 showed strong inhibition of the SAG-induced Hedgehog signaling activation in NIH3T3 Shh-Light II cells with IC50 values of 19, 72, and 38 nM, respectively. Compounds of this class potently inhibited tubulin polymerization and cancer cell growth, including stimulation of natural killer cell cytotoxic activity and repression of Hedgehog-dependent cancer. PMID:26132075

  6. Phthalate induced toxicity in prostate cancer cell lines and effects of alpha lipoic acid.

    PubMed

    Kismali, G; Yurdakok-Dikmen, B; Kuzukiran, O; Arslan, P; Filazi, A

    2017-01-01

    The effects of dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, diisobutyl phthalate, di-n-butyl phthalate, benzylbutyl phthalate, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate were investigated on human prostate cancer cell lines DU145 and PC3 in vitro. Standards of dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, di-isobutyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, benzyl butyl phthalate, and di-ethyl hexyl phthalate were used. Alpha lipoic acid was used as antioxidant compound. DU145 and PC3 human prostate carcinoma cells were used. MTT assay were used for cytotoxicity assay. A low dose proliferative effect of phthalates in vitro was observed. With the hypothesis of the inhibition of aerobic glycolysis activity in cancer treatment, α-lipoic acid was applied to cells; where as a contrary to previous studies, no change in the cell proliferation was observed. In combination with ALA, at IC50 and lower doses, an increase of the cytotoxic effect was found for DIBP, DBP and BBP; while for DMP, DEP and DEHP, a decrease was observed for DU145 cells. In PC3 cells, a decrease was observed for DMP, DEP and DBPs; while no significant difference were observed for DEHP, DIBP and BBP. The present study demonstrates preliminary information regarding the low dose proliferative effects of phthalates in prostate cancer in vitro (Tab. 2, Fig. 2, Ref. 65).

  7. Carfilzomib demonstrates broad anti-tumor activity in pre-clinical non-small cell and small cell lung cancer models.

    PubMed

    Baker, Amanda F; Hanke, Neale T; Sands, Barbara J; Carbajal, Liliana; Anderl, Janet L; Garland, Linda L

    2014-12-31

    Carfilzomib (CFZ) is a proteasome inhibitor that selectively and irreversibly binds to its target and has been approved in the US for treatment of relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma. Phase 1B studies of CFZ reported signals of clinical activity in solid tumors, including small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The aim of this study was to investigate the activity of CFZ in lung cancer models. A diverse panel of human lung cancer cell lines and a SHP77 small cell lung cancer xenograft model were used to investigate the anti-tumor activity of CFZ. CFZ treatment inhibited both the constitutive proteasome and the immunoproteasome in lung cancer cell lines. CFZ had marked anti-proliferative activity in A549, H1993, H520, H460, and H1299 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines, with IC50 values after 96 hour exposure from <1.0 nM to 36 nM. CFZ had more variable effects in the SHP77 and DMS114 SCLC cell lines, with IC50 values at 96 hours from <1 nM to 203 nM. Western blot analysis of CFZ-treated H1993 and SHP77 cells showed cleavage of poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) and caspase-3, indicative of apoptosis, and induction of microtubule-associated protein-1 light chain-3B (LC3B), indicative of autophagy. In SHP77 flank xenograft tumors, CFZ monotherapy inhibited tumor growth and prolonged survival, while no additive or synergistic anti-tumor efficacy was observed for CFZ + cisplatin (CDDP). CFZ demonstrated anti-proliferative activity in lung cancer cell lines in vitro and resulted in a significant survival advantage in mice with SHP77 SCLC xenografts, supporting further pre-clinical and clinical investigations of CFZ in NSCLC and SCLC.

  8. Inhibitory effects of different forms of tocopherols, tocopherol phosphates and tocopherol quinones on growth of colon cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    Dolfi, Sonia C.; Yang, Zhihong; Lee, Mao-Jung; Guan, Fei; Hong, Jungil; Yang, Chung S.

    2013-01-01

    Tocopherols are the major source of dietary vitamin E. In this study, the growth inhibitory effects of different forms of tocopherols, tocopheryl phosphates (TP) and tocopherol quinones (TQ) on human colon cancer HCT116 and HT29 cells were investigated. δ-T was more active than γ-T in inhibiting colon cancer cell growth, decreasing cancer cell colony formation and inducing apoptosis; however α-T was rather ineffective. Similarly, the rate of cellular uptake also followed the ranking order δ-T > γ-T ≫ α-T. TP and TQ generally had higher inhibitory activities than their parent compounds. Interestingly, the γ-forms of TP and TQ were more active than the δ-forms in inhibiting cancer cell growth; whereas the α-forms were the least effective. The potencies of γ-TQ and δ-TQ (showing IC50 of ~0.8 and ~2 μM on HCT116 cells after a 72-h incubation, respectively) were >100 and >20 fold higher, respectively, than those of their parent tocopherols. Induction of cancer cell apoptosis by δ-T, γ-TP and γ-TQ was characterized by the cleavage of caspase 3 and PARP1 and DNA fragmentation. These studies demonstrated the higher growth inhibitory activity of δ-T than γ-T, the even higher activities of the γ-forms of TP and TQ, and the ineffectiveness of the α-forms of tocopherol and their metabolites against colon cancer cells. PMID:23898832

  9. TOFA suppresses ovarian cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo.

    PubMed

    Li, Shu; Qiu, Lihua; Wu, Buchu; Shen, Haoran; Zhu, Jing; Zhou, Liang; Gu, Liying; Di, Wen

    2013-08-01

    A characteristic feature of cancer cells is the activation of de novo fatty acid synthesis. Acetyl‑CoA carboxylase (ACC) is a key enzyme in fatty acid synthesis, accelerating the reaction that carboxylates cytosolic acetyl‑CoA to form malonyl‑CoA. ACC is highly expressed in several types of human cancer and is important in breast and prostate cancer cell growth. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of 5‑tetradecyloxy‑2‑furoic acid (TOFA), an allosteric inhibitor of ACC, on the proliferation and cell cycle progression of the ovarian cancer cell lines COC1 and COC1/DDP. TOFA was found to be cytotoxic to COC1 and COC1/DDP cells with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of ~26.1 and 11.6 µg/ml, respectively. TOFA inhibited the proliferation of the cancer cells examined in a time‑ and dose‑dependent manner, arrested the cells in the G0/G1 cell cycle phase and induced apoptosis. The expression of the cell cycle regulating proteins cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4, as well as the expression of the apoptosis‑related proteins caspase‑3 and Bcl‑2, were detected by western blot analysis. Cyclin D1, CDK4 and Bcl‑2 protein expression was inhibited by TOFA, while caspase‑3 was cleaved and activated. To the best of our knowledge, the present study demonstrated for the first time that TOFA inhibits COC1/DDP cell growth in ovarian tumor mouse xenografts. By inhibiting ACC, TOFA may be a promising small molecule agent for ovarian cancer therapy.

  10. Understanding drugs in breast cancer through drug sensitivity screening.

    PubMed

    Uhr, Katharina; Prager-van der Smissen, Wendy J C; Heine, Anouk A J; Ozturk, Bahar; Smid, Marcel; Göhlmann, Hinrich W H; Jager, Agnes; Foekens, John A; Martens, John W M

    2015-01-01

    With substantial numbers of breast tumors showing or acquiring treatment resistance, it is of utmost importance to develop new agents for the treatment of the disease, to know their effectiveness against breast cancer and to understand their relationships with other drugs to best assign the right drug to the right patient. To achieve this goal drug screenings on breast cancer cell lines are a promising approach. In this study a large-scale drug screening of 37 compounds was performed on a panel of 42 breast cancer cell lines representing the main breast cancer subtypes. Clustering, correlation and pathway analyses were used for data analysis. We found that compounds with a related mechanism of action had correlated IC50 values and thus grouped together when the cell lines were hierarchically clustered based on IC50 values. In total we found six clusters of drugs of which five consisted of drugs with related mode of action and one cluster with two drugs not previously connected. In total, 25 correlated and four anti-correlated drug sensitivities were revealed of which only one drug, Sirolimus, showed significantly lower IC50 values in the luminal/ERBB2 breast cancer subtype. We found expected interactions but also discovered new relationships between drugs which might have implications for cancer treatment regimens.

  11. Radiolabeled cycloSaligenyl Monophosphates of 5-Iodo-2′-deoxyuridine, 5-Iodo-3′-fluoro-2′, 3′-dideoxyuridine, and 3′-Fluorothymidine for Molecular Radiotherapy of Cancer: Synthesis and Biological Evaluation

    PubMed Central

    Kortylewicz, Zbigniew P.; Kimura, Yu; Inoue, Kotaro; Mack, Elizabeth; Baranowska-Kortylewicz, Janina

    2012-01-01

    Targeted molecular radiotherapy opens unprecedented opportunities to eradicate cancer cells with minimal irradiation of normal tissues. Described in this study are radioactive cycloSaligenyl monophosphates designed to deliver lethal doses of radiation to cancer cells. These compounds can be radiolabeled with SPECT- and PET-compatible radionuclides as well as radionuclides suitable for Auger electron therapies. This characteristic provides an avenue for the personalized and comprehensive treatment strategy that comprises diagnostic imaging to identify sites of disease, followed by the targeted molecular radiotherapy based on the imaging results. The developed radiosynthetic methods produce no-carrier-added products with high radiochemical yield and purity. The interaction of these compounds with their target, butyrylcholinesterase, depends on the stereochemistry around the P atom. IC50 values are in the nM range. In vitro studies indicate that radiation doses delivered to the cell nucleus are sufficient to kill cells of several difficult to treat malignancies including glioblastoma, and ovarian and colorectal cancers. PMID:22339166

  12. Antiproliferative Cardenolides of an Elaeodendron sp. from the Madagascar Rain Forest

    PubMed Central

    Cao, Shugeng; Brodie, Peggy J.; Miller, James S.; Ratovoson, Fidy; Callmander, Martin W.; Randrianasolo, Sennen; Rakotobe, Etienne; Rasamison, Vincent E.; Suh, Edward M.; TenDyke, Karen; Kingston, David G. I.

    2008-01-01

    Bioassay-guided fractionation of an ethanol extract obtained from the Madagascar plant Elaeodendron sp. led to the isolation of two new cardenolides, elaeodendrosides T and U (1 and 2). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated using 1D and 2D NMR experiments, and mass spectrometry. Compounds 1, 3, 4, and 5 showed significant antiproliferative activity against A2780 human ovarian cancer cells with IC50 values of 0.085, 0.019, 0.19, and 0.10 µM, respectively, while compounds 2 and 6 were less active. PMID:17547460

  13. Evaluation of Antioxidative and Cytotoxic Activities of Streptomyces pluripotens MUSC 137 Isolated from Mangrove Soil in Malaysia

    PubMed Central

    Ser, Hooi-Leng; Ab Mutalib, Nurul-Syakima; Yin, Wai-Fong; Chan, Kok-Gan; Goh, Bey-Hing; Lee, Learn-Han

    2015-01-01

    Streptomyces pluripotens MUSC 137 was isolated from mangrove soil obtained from Tanjung Lumpur, Pahang, Malaysia. We investigated the phylogenetic, genomic, biochemical, and phenotypic characteristics of this strain. Uniquely adapted microorganisms from mangrove habitats have previously yielded compounds of biopharmaceutical interest. In order to examine the bioactivities possessed by the strain, fermentation extract was prepared through solvent extraction method prior to bioactivities screenings. Antioxidant activity was examined via DPPH assay while the cytotoxic effect was assessed by means of examining the activity of the extract against selected human cancer cell lines, namely colon cancer cells (HCT-116, Caco-2, SW480, and HT-29), breast cancer cell (MCF-7), lung cancer cell (A549), prostate cancer cell (DU145), and cervical cancer cell (Ca Ski). The results revealed MUSC 137 possesses significant antioxidant activity and demonstrates cytotoxic effect against several cancer cell lines tested. The results indicated MCF-7 cells were most susceptible to the extract with the lowest IC50 (61.33 ± 17.10 μg/mL), followed by HCT-116 and A549. Additionally, selective index (SI) showed that MUSC 137 extract was less toxic against normal cell lines when compared to MCF-7 and HCT-116 cells. The extract was further subjected to chemical analysis using GC–MS and revealed the presence of deferoxamine and pyrrolizidines related compounds which may account for the antioxidant and cytotoxic properties observed. PMID:26733951

  14. Hot water extract of Chlorella vulgaris induced DNA damage and apoptosis

    PubMed Central

    Yusof, Yasmin Anum Mohd; Md. Saad, Suhana; Makpol, Suzana; Shamaan, Nor Aripin; Ngah, Wan Zurinah Wan

    2010-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of hot water extracts of Chlorella vulgaris on hepatoma cell line HepG2. INTRODUCTION: The search for food and spices that can induce apoptosis in cancer cells has been a major study interest in the last decade. Chlorella vulgaris, a unicellular green algae, has been reported to have antioxidant and anti‐cancer properties. However, its chemopreventive effects in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells have not been studied in great detail. METHODS: HepG2 liver cancer cells and WRL68 normal liver cells were treated with various concentrations (0‐4 mg/ml) of hot water extract of C. vulgaris after 24 hours incubation. Apoptosis rate was evaluated by TUNEL assay while DNA damage was assessed by Comet assay. Apoptosis proteins were evaluated by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Chlorella vulgaris decreased the number of viable HepG2 cells in a dose dependent manner (p < 0.05), with an IC50 of 1.6 mg/ml. DNA damage as measured by Comet assay was increased in HepG2 cells at all concentrations of Chlorella vulgaris tested. Evaluation of apoptosis by TUNEL assay showed that Chlorella vulgaris induced a higher apoptotic rate (70%) in HepG2 cells compared to normal liver cells, WRL68 (15%). Western blot analysis showed increased expression of pro‐ apoptotic proteins P53, Bax and caspase‐3 in the HepG2 cells compared to normal liver cells WRL68, and decreased expression of the anti‐apoptotic protein Bcl‐2. CONCLUSIONS: Chlorella vulgaris may have anti‐cancer effects by inducing apoptosis signaling cascades via an increased expression of P53, Bax and caspase‐3 proteins and through a reduction of Bcl‐2 protein, which subsequently lead to increased DNA damage and apoptosis. PMID:21340229

  15. Apoptotic effect of novel Schiff based CdCl₂(C₁₄H₂₁N₃O₂) complex is mediated via activation of the mitochondrial pathway in colon cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Hajrezaie, Maryam; Paydar, Mohammadjavad; Looi, Chung Yeng; Moghadamtousi, Soheil Zorofchian; Hassandarvish, Pouya; Salga, Muhammad Saleh; Karimian, Hamed; Shams, Keivan; Zahedifard, Maryam; Majid, Nazia Abdul; Ali, Hapipah Mohd; Abdulla, Mahmood Ameen

    2015-03-13

    The development of metal-based agents has had a tremendous role in the present progress in cancer chemotherapy. One well-known example of metal-based agents is Schiff based metal complexes, which hold great promise for cancer therapy. Based on the potential of Schiff based complexes for the induction of apoptosis, this study aimed to examine the cytotoxic and apoptotic activity of a CdCl2(C14H21N3O2) complex on HT-29 cells. The complex exerted a potent suppressive effect on HT-29 cells with an IC50 value of 2.57 ± 0.39 after 72 h of treatment. The collapse of the mitochondrial membrane potential and the elevated release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria to the cytosol indicate the involvement of the intrinsic pathway in the induction of apoptosis. The role of the mitochondria-dependent apoptotic pathway was further proved by the significant activation of the initiator caspase-9 and the executioner caspases-3 and -7. In addition, the activation of caspase-8, which is associated with the suppression of NF-κB translocation to the nucleus, also revealed the involvement of the extrinsic pathway in the induced apoptosis. The results suggest that the CdCl2(C14H21N3O2) complex is able to induce the apoptosis of colon cancer cells and is a potential candidate for future cancer studies.

  16. Mechanism of Chemoprevention against Colon Cancer Cells Using Combined Gelam Honey and Ginger Extract via mTOR and Wnt/β-catenin Pathways.

    PubMed

    Wee, Lee Heng; Morad, Noor Azian; Aan, Goon Jo; Makpol, Suzana; Wan Ngah, Wan Zurinah; Mohd Yusof, Yasmin Anum

    2015-01-01

    The PI3K-Akt-mTOR, Wnt/β-catenin and apoptosis signaling pathways have been shown to be involved in genesis of colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of this study was to elucidate whether combination of Gelam honey and ginger might have chemopreventive properties in HT29 colon cancer cells by modulating the mTOR, Wnt/β-catenin and apoptosis signaling pathways. Treatment with Gelam honey and ginger reduced the viability of the HT29 cells dose dependently with IC50 values of 88 mg/ml and 2.15 mg/ml respectively, their while the combined treatment of 2 mg/ml of ginger with 31 mg/ml of Gelam honey inhibited growth of most HT29 cells. Gelam honey, ginger and combination induced apoptosis in a dose dependent manner with the combined treatment exhibiting the highest apoptosis rate. The combined treatment downregulated the gene expressions of Akt, mTOR, Raptor, Rictor, β-catenin, Gsk3β, Tcf4 and cyclin D1 while cytochrome C and caspase 3 genes were shown to be upregulated. In conclusion, the combination of Gelam honey and ginger may serve as a potential therapy in the treatment of colorectal cancer through inhibiton of mTOR, Wnt/β catenin signaling pathways and induction of apoptosis pathway.

  17. Apoptotic effect of novel Schiff Based CdCl2(C14H21N3O2) complex is mediated via activation of the mitochondrial pathway in colon cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    Hajrezaie, Maryam; Paydar, Mohammadjavad; Looi, Chung Yeng; Moghadamtousi, Soheil Zorofchian; Hassandarvish, Pouya; Salga, Muhammad Saleh; Karimian, Hamed; Shams, Keivan; Zahedifard, Maryam; Majid, Nazia Abdul; Ali, Hapipah Mohd; Abdulla, Mahmood Ameen

    2015-01-01

    The development of metal-based agents has had a tremendous role in the present progress in cancer chemotherapy. One well-known example of metal-based agents is Schiff based metal complexes, which hold great promise for cancer therapy. Based on the potential of Schiff based complexes for the induction of apoptosis, this study aimed to examine the cytotoxic and apoptotic activity of a CdCl2(C14H21N3O2) complex on HT-29 cells. The complex exerted a potent suppressive effect on HT-29 cells with an IC50 value of 2.57 ± 0.39 after 72 h of treatment. The collapse of the mitochondrial membrane potential and the elevated release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria to the cytosol indicate the involvement of the intrinsic pathway in the induction of apoptosis. The role of the mitochondria-dependent apoptotic pathway was further proved by the significant activation of the initiator caspase-9 and the executioner caspases-3 and -7. In addition, the activation of caspase-8, which is associated with the suppression of NF-κB translocation to the nucleus, also revealed the involvement of the extrinsic pathway in the induced apoptosis. The results suggest that the CdCl2(C14H21N3O2) complex is able to induce the apoptosis of colon cancer cells and is a potential candidate for future cancer studies. PMID:25764970

  18. Antitumor Effects and Mechanism of Novel Emodin Rhamnoside Derivatives against Human Cancer Cells In Vitro

    PubMed Central

    Deng, Jun-peng; Jiang, Ling-zhi; Xiong, Ping; Yang, Bin-jie; Liu, Shan-shan

    2015-01-01

    A series of novel anthracene L-rhamnopyranosides compounds were designed and synthesized and their anti-proliferative activities on cancer cell lines were investigated. We found that one derivative S-8 (EM-d-Rha) strongly inhibited cell proliferation of a panel of different human cancer cell lines including A549, HepG2, OVCAR-3, HeLa and K562 and SGC-790 cell lines, and displayed IC50 values in low micro-molar ranges, which are ten folds more effective than emodin. In addition, we found EM-d-Rha (3-(2”,3”-Di-O-acetyl-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4)-2’,3’-di-O-acetyl-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl)-emodin) substantially induced cellular apoptosis of HepG2 and OVCAR-3 cells in the early growth stage. Furthermore, EM-d-Rha led to the decrease of mitochondrial transmembrane potential, and up-regulated the express of cells apoptosis factors in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The results indicated the EM-d-Rha may inhibit the growth and proliferation of HepG2 cells through the pathway of apoptosis induction, and the possible molecular mechanism may due to the activation of intrinsic apoptotic signal pathway. PMID:26682731

  19. The cytotoxic effect of Elephantopus scaber Linn extract against breast cancer (T47D) cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sulistyani, N.; Nurkhasanah

    2017-11-01

    Breast cancer is one of the main cause of death. Elephantopus scaber Linn (ES) which has been used as a traditional medicine contains an antitumor compounds. This study aimed to explore the active fraction from ethanolic extract of ES as anticancer and to determine its inhibition effect on the cell proliferation cycle of breast cancer (T47D) cells. The ES leaf was macerated with ethanol and then evaporated to get the concentrated extract. The extract was fractionated using petroleum ether, chloroform, and methanol respectively. The cytotoxic activity of each fraction was carried out with MTT method, and the inhibition of cell cycle test were observed by flowcytometry method. The result showed that ES and the fractions have cytotoxic activity against T47D cell lines with IC50 values of extract, petroleum ether, chloroform, and methanol fractions were 58.36±2.38, 132.17±9.69, 7.08±2.11, and 572.89±69.23 µg/mL. The inhibition effect of ethanol extract on the lifecycle of cells was occured in sub G1 phase. There was no prolonging of G1, S, G2/M and polyploidy phase of T47D cell lines. The chloroform fraction of ES is the most cytotoxic fraction against T47D cells without prolonging the cell lifecycle.

  20. Variability in P-Glycoprotein Inhibitory Potency (IC50) Using Various in Vitro Experimental Systems: Implications for Universal Digoxin Drug-Drug Interaction Risk Assessment Decision Criteria

    PubMed Central

    Bentz, Joe; O’Connor, Michael P.; Bednarczyk, Dallas; Coleman, JoAnn; Lee, Caroline; Palm, Johan; Pak, Y. Anne; Perloff, Elke S.; Reyner, Eric; Balimane, Praveen; Brännström, Marie; Chu, Xiaoyan; Funk, Christoph; Guo, Ailan; Hanna, Imad; Herédi-Szabó, Krisztina; Hillgren, Kate; Li, Libin; Hollnack-Pusch, Evelyn; Jamei, Masoud; Lin, Xuena; Mason, Andrew K.; Neuhoff, Sibylle; Patel, Aarti; Podila, Lalitha; Plise, Emile; Rajaraman, Ganesh; Salphati, Laurent; Sands, Eric; Taub, Mitchell E.; Taur, Jan-Shiang; Weitz, Dietmar; Wortelboer, Heleen M.; Xia, Cindy Q.; Xiao, Guangqing; Yabut, Jocelyn; Yamagata, Tetsuo; Zhang, Lei

    2013-01-01

    A P-glycoprotein (P-gp) IC50 working group was established with 23 participating pharmaceutical and contract research laboratories and one academic institution to assess interlaboratory variability in P-gp IC50 determinations. Each laboratory followed its in-house protocol to determine in vitro IC50 values for 16 inhibitors using four different test systems: human colon adenocarcinoma cells (Caco-2; eleven laboratories), Madin-Darby canine kidney cells transfected with MDR1 cDNA (MDCKII-MDR1; six laboratories), and Lilly Laboratories Cells—Porcine Kidney Nr. 1 cells transfected with MDR1 cDNA (LLC-PK1-MDR1; four laboratories), and membrane vesicles containing human P-glycoprotein (P-gp; five laboratories). For cell models, various equations to calculate remaining transport activity (e.g., efflux ratio, unidirectional flux, net-secretory-flux) were also evaluated. The difference in IC50 values for each of the inhibitors across all test systems and equations ranged from a minimum of 20- and 24-fold between lowest and highest IC50 values for sertraline and isradipine, to a maximum of 407- and 796-fold for telmisartan and verapamil, respectively. For telmisartan and verapamil, variability was greatly influenced by data from one laboratory in each case. Excluding these two data sets brings the range in IC50 values for telmisartan and verapamil down to 69- and 159-fold. The efflux ratio-based equation generally resulted in severalfold lower IC50 values compared with unidirectional or net-secretory-flux equations. Statistical analysis indicated that variability in IC50 values was mainly due to interlaboratory variability, rather than an implicit systematic difference between test systems. Potential reasons for variability are discussed and the simplest, most robust experimental design for P-gp IC50 determination proposed. The impact of these findings on drug-drug interaction risk assessment is discussed in the companion article (Ellens et al., 2013) and recommendations are provided. PMID:23620485

  1. Gallic acid induced apoptotic events in HCT-15 colon cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Subramanian, Aruna Priyadharshni; Jaganathan, Saravana Kumar; Mandal, Mahitosh; Supriyanto, Eko; Muhamad, Ida Idayu

    2016-04-21

    To investigate the inhibitory action of diet-derived phenolic compound gallic acid (GA) against HCT-15 colon cancer cells. The antiproliferative effect of GA against colon cancer cells was determined by performing thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The colony forming ability of GA treated colon cancer cells was evaluated using the colony forming assay. The cell cycle changes induced by GA in HCT-15 cells were analyzed by propidium iodide staining. Levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential of HCT-15 exposed to GA was assessed using 2',7'-dichlorfluorescein-diacetate and rhodamine-123 respectively, with the help of flow cytometry. Morphological changes caused by GA treatment in the colon cancer cells were identified by scanning electron microscope and photomicrograph examination. Apoptosis was confirmed using flow cytometric analysis of GA treated HCT-15 cells after staining with Yo-Pro-1. MTT assay results illustrated that GA has an inhibitory effect on HCT-15 cells with IC50 value of 740 μmol/L. A time-dependent inhibition of colony formation was evident with GA treatment. Cell cycle arrest was evident from the accumulation of GA treated HCT-15 cells at sub-G1 phase (0.98 ± 1.03 vs 58.01 ± 2.05) with increasing exposure time. Flow cytometric analysis of GA treated HCT-15 cells depicted early events associated with apoptosis like lipid layer breakage and fall in mitochondrial membrane potential apart from an increase in the generation of ROS which were in a time dependent manner. SEM and photomicrograph images of the GA-treated cells displayed membrane blebbing and cell shrinking characteristics of apoptosis. Further apoptosis confirmation by Yo-Pro-1 staining also showed the time-dependent increase of apoptotic cells after treatment. These results show that GA induced ROS dependent apoptosis and inhibited the growth of colon cancer cells.

  2. Gallic acid induced apoptotic events in HCT-15 colon cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    Subramanian, Aruna Priyadharshni; Jaganathan, Saravana Kumar; Mandal, Mahitosh; Supriyanto, Eko; Muhamad, Ida Idayu

    2016-01-01

    AIM: To investigate the inhibitory action of diet-derived phenolic compound gallic acid (GA) against HCT-15 colon cancer cells. METHODS: The antiproliferative effect of GA against colon cancer cells was determined by performing thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The colony forming ability of GA treated colon cancer cells was evaluated using the colony forming assay. The cell cycle changes induced by GA in HCT-15 cells were analyzed by propidium iodide staining. Levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential of HCT-15 exposed to GA was assessed using 2’,7’-dichlorfluorescein-diacetate and rhodamine-123 respectively, with the help of flow cytometry. Morphological changes caused by GA treatment in the colon cancer cells were identified by scanning electron microscope and photomicrograph examination. Apoptosis was confirmed using flow cytometric analysis of GA treated HCT-15 cells after staining with Yo-Pro-1. RESULTS: MTT assay results illustrated that GA has an inhibitory effect on HCT-15 cells with IC50 value of 740 μmol/L. A time-dependent inhibition of colony formation was evident with GA treatment. Cell cycle arrest was evident from the accumulation of GA treated HCT-15 cells at sub-G1 phase (0.98 ± 1.03 vs 58.01 ± 2.05) with increasing exposure time. Flow cytometric analysis of GA treated HCT-15 cells depicted early events associated with apoptosis like lipid layer breakage and fall in mitochondrial membrane potential apart from an increase in the generation of ROS which were in a time dependent manner. SEM and photomicrograph images of the GA-treated cells displayed membrane blebbing and cell shrinking characteristics of apoptosis. Further apoptosis confirmation by Yo-Pro-1 staining also showed the time-dependent increase of apoptotic cells after treatment. CONCLUSION: These results show that GA induced ROS dependent apoptosis and inhibited the growth of colon cancer cells. PMID:27099438

  3. Effects of guanyl nucleotides on CCKB receptor binding in brain tissue and continuous cell lines: a comparative study.

    PubMed

    Kaufmann, R; Schöneberg, T; Henklein, P; Meyer, R; Martin, H; Ott, T

    1995-07-01

    The effects of non-hydrolyzable guanyl nucleotide analogue GTP-gamma S on CCKB receptor binding in human and guinea-pig cortex, Jurkat T-cells, rat pituitary GH3 cells, rat glioma C6 cells and human small cell lung cancer NCI-H69 cells were investigated by using [3H]CCK-8S saturation and competition binding studies. GTP-gamma S caused inhibition of specific [3H]CCK-8S binding in a concentration dependent manner with a plateau at 10-25 microM. 25 microM GTP-gamma S resulted in a small but significant increase in Kd and IC50 values with amount very similar in all CCKB receptor models tested. However, the maximal number of specific [3H]CCK-8S binding sites (Bmax) was unaffected. Results suggest that CCKB receptors are G-protein coupled in a similar way to human and guinea-pig cortex, Jurkat cells, GH3 cells, C6 cells and NCI-H69 cells.

  4. Fisetin, a dietary flavonoid, induces apoptosis of cancer cells by inhibiting HSF1 activity through blocking its binding to the hsp70 promoter.

    PubMed

    Kim, Joo Ae; Lee, Somyoung; Kim, Da-Eun; Kim, Moonil; Kwon, Byoung-Mog; Han, Dong Cho

    2015-06-01

    Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) is a transcription factor for heat shock proteins (HSPs) expression that enhances the survival of cancer cells exposed to various stresses. HSF1 knockout suppresses carcinogen-induced cancer induction in mice. Therefore, HSF1 is a promising therapeutic and chemopreventive target. We performed cell-based screening with a natural compound collection and identified fisetin, a dietary flavonoid, as a HSF1 inhibitor. Fisetin abolished heat shock-induced luciferase activity with an IC50 of 14 μM in HCT-116 cancer cells. The treatment of HCT-116 with fisetin inhibited proliferation with a GI50 of 23 μM. When the cells were exposed to heat shock in the presence of fisetin, the induction of HSF1 target proteins, such as HSP70, HSP27 and BAG3 (Bcl-2-associated athanogene domain 3), were inhibited. HSP70/BAG3 complexes protect cancer cells from apoptosis by stabilizing anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins. The downregulation of HSP70/BAG3 by fisetin significantly reduced the amounts of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and Mcl-1 proteins, subsequently inducing apoptotic cell death. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed that fisetin inhibited HSF1 activity by blocking the binding of HSF1 to the hsp70 promoter. Intraperitoneal treatment of nude mice with fisetin at 30mg/kg resulted in a 35.7% (P < 0.001) inhibition of tumor growth. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  5. Anti-Proliferative Properties of Cornus mass Fruit in Different Human Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Yousefi, Bahman; Abasi, Mozhgan; Abbasi, Mehran Mesgari; Jahanban-Esfahlan, Rana

    2015-01-01

    There is a long standing interest in natural compounds especially those with a high polyphenolic content and high scavenging activity for hazardous free radicals. Cornus mas (CM) fruit is well known for its antioxidant activities; however, its toxicity against human cancers needs to be addressed. Here, we investigated selective anticancer effects of CM on different human cancer cells. A hydro-alcoholic extract of CM (HECM) was prepared and total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were determined by colorimetric assays. Antioxidant activity was assessed with respectto DPPH radical scavenging. MTT assays were used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of different doses of CM (0, 5, 20, 100, 250, 500, 1000 μg/ ml) towards A549 (lung non small cell cancer), MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), SKOV3 (ovarian cancer) and PC-3 (prostate adenocarcinoma) cells. Significant (P<0.05) or very significant (P<0.001) differences were observed in comparison to negative controls at all tested doses (5-1000 μg/ml). In all cancer cells, HECM reduced the cell viability to values below 26%, even at the lowest doses. In all cases, IC50 was obtained at doses below 5μg/ml. The mean growth inhibition was 81.8%, 81.9%, 81.6% and 79.3% in SKOV3, MCF-7, PC-3 and A549 cells, respectively. Altogether, to our best knowledge, this is a first study that evaluated toxicity of a HECM with high antioxidant activity in different human cancer cells in vitro. Our results indicated that a hydro-alcoholic extract of CM possesses high potency to inhibit proliferation of different tumor cells in a dose independent manner, suggesting that an optimal biological dose is more important and relevant than a maximally tolerated one.

  6. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes effect on the bioavailability of artemisinin and its cytotoxity to cancerous cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rezaei, Behzad; Majidi, Najmeh; Noori, Shokoofe; Hassan, Zuhair M.

    2011-12-01

    Artemisinin regarded as one of the most promising anticancer drugs can bind to DNA with a binding constant of 1.04 × 104 M-1. The electrochemical experiments indicated that for longer incubation time periods, the reduction peak current of artemisinin on carbon nanotube modified electrode increases. Therefore, the uptake of drug molecules from a solution into CNTs will be achieved automatically by adsorption of 88.7% of artemisinin onto carbon nanotubes surface without alteration in drug properties. Hence, capability of carbon nanotubes to have synergistic effect on the bioavailability of artemisinin was investigated. Experimental tests on K562 cancer cell lines growth by MTT assay proved that multi-walled carbon nanotubes can enhance the cytotoxity of artemisinin to the targeted cancer cells with unprecedented accuracy and efficiency. The IC50 values were 65 and 35 μM for artemisinin and artemisinin loaded on multi-walled carbon nanotubes, respectively; demonstrating that artemisinin loaded on multi-walled carbon nanotubes is more effective in inhibition of cancer cell lines growth.

  7. Differential anti-tumor activity of coriolus versicolor (Yunzhi) extract through p53- and/or Bcl-2-dependent apoptotic pathway in human breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Ho, Cheong-Yip; Kim, Chi-Fai; Leung, Kwok-Nam; Fung, Kwok-Pui; Tse, Tak-Fu; Chan, Helen; Lau, Clara Bik-San

    2005-06-01

    Coriolus versicolor (CV), also called Yunzhi, has been demonstrated to exert anti-tumor effects on various types of cancer cells, but the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. The present study aimed to evaluate the in vitro anti-tumor activity of a standardized aqueous ethanol extract prepared from CV on four breast cancer cell lines using MTT assay, and test whether the mechanism involves apoptosis induction and modulation of p53 and Bcl-2 protein expressions using cell death detection ELISA, p53 and Bcl-2 ELISAs respectively. Our results demonstrated that the CV extract dose-dependently suppressed the proliferation of three breast tumor cell lines, with ascending order of IC50 values: T-47D, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, while BT-20 cells were not significantly affected. Tumoricidal activity of the CV extract was found to be comparable to a chemotherapeutic anti-cancer drug, mitomycin C. Nucleosome productions in apoptotic MDA-MB-231, MCF-7 and T-47D cells were significantly augmented in a time-dependent manner and paralleled the anti-proliferative activity of CV extract. Expression of p53 protein was significantly upregulated only in T-47D cells treated with the CV extract in a dose- and time-dependent fashion, but not in MCF-7 (except at 400 mug/ml after 16 h) and MDA-MB-231 cells. The CV extract significantly induced a dose-dependent downregulation of Bcl-2 protein expression in MCF-7 and T-47D cells, but not in MDA-MB-231 cells. These results suggested that apoptosis induction, differentially dependent of p53 and Bcl-2 expressions, might be the possible mechanism of CV extract-mediated cytotoxicity in human breast cancer cells in vitro.

  8. Antitumor effects and molecular mechanisms of ponatinib on endometrial cancer cells harboring activating FGFR2 mutations

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Do-Hee; Kwak, Yeonui; Kim, Nam Doo; Sim, Taebo

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Aberrant mutational activation of FGFR2 is associated with endometrial cancers (ECs). AP24534 (ponatinib) currently undergoing clinical trials has been known to be an orally available multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Our biochemical kinase assay showed that AP24534 is potent against wild-type FGFR1-4 and 5 mutant FGFRs (V561M-FGFR1, N549H-FGFR2, K650E-FGFR3, G697C-FGFR3, N535K-FGFR4) and possesses the strongest kinase-inhibitory activity on N549H-FGFR2 (IC50 of 0.5 nM) among all FGFRs tested. We therefore investigated the effects of AP24534 on endometrial cancer cells harboring activating FGFR2 mutations and explored the underlying molecular mechanisms. AP24534 significantly inhibited the proliferation of endometrial cancer cells bearing activating FGFR2 mutations (N549K, K310R/N549K, S252W) and mainly induced G1/S cell cycle arrest leading to apoptosis. AP24534 also diminished the kinase activity of immunoprecipitated FGFR2 derived from MFE-296 and MFE-280 cells and reduced the phosphorylation of FGFR2 and FRS2 on MFE-296 and AN3CA cells. AP24534 caused substantial reductions in ERK phosphorylation, PLCγ signaling and STAT5 signal transduction on ECs bearing FGFR2 activating mutations. Akt signaling pathway was also deactivated by AP24534. AP24534 causes the chemotherapeutic effect through mainly the blockade of ERK, PLCγ and STAT5 signal transduction on ECs. Moreover, AP24534 inhibited migration and invasion of endometrial cancer cells with FGFR2 mutations. In addition, AP24534 significantly blocked anchorage-independent growth of endometrial cancer cells. We, for the first time, report the molecular mechanisms by which AP24534 exerts antitumor effects on ECs with FGFR2 activating mutations, which would provide mechanistic insight into ongoing clinical investigations of AP24534 for ECs. PMID:26574622

  9. Psoralea glandulosa as a potential source of anticancer agents for melanoma treatment.

    PubMed

    Madrid, Alejandro; Cardile, Venera; González, César; Montenegro, Ivan; Villena, Joan; Caggia, Silvia; Graziano, Adriana; Russo, Alessandra

    2015-04-09

    With the aim of identifying novel agents with antigrowth and pro-apoptotic activity on melanoma cancer, the present study was undertaken to investigate the biological activity of the resinous exudate of aerial parts from Psoralea glandulosa, and its active components (bakuchiol (1), 3-hydroxy-bakuchiol (2) and 12-hydroxy-iso-bakuchiol (3)) against melanoma cells (A2058). In addition, the effect in cancer cells of bakuchiol acetate (4), a semi-synthetic derivative of bakuchiol, was examined. The results obtained show that the resinous exudate inhibited the growth of cancer cells with IC50 value of 10.5 μg/mL after 48 h of treatment, while, for pure compounds, the most active was the semi-synthetic compound 4. Our data also demonstrate that resin is able to induce apoptotic cell death, which could be related to an overall action of the meroterpenes present. In addition, our data seem to indicate that the apoptosis correlated to the tested products appears, at least in part, to be associated with an increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. In summary, our study provides the first evidence that P. glandulosa may be considered a source of useful molecules in the development of analogues with more potent efficacy against melanoma cells.

  10. Repeated cisplatin treatment can lead to a multiresistant tumor cell population with stem cell features and sensitivity to 3-bromopyruvate

    PubMed Central

    Wintzell, My; Löfstedt, Lina; Johansson, Joel; Pedersen, Anne B.; Fuxe, Jonas; Shoshan, Maria

    2012-01-01

    Cisplatin is used in treatment of several types of cancer, including epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC). In order to mimic clinical treatment and to investigate longterm effects of cisplatin in surviving cancer cells, two EOC cell lines were repeatedly treated with low doses. In the SKOV-3 cell line originating from malignant ascites, but not in A2780 cells from a primary tumor, this led to emergence of a stable population (SKOV-3-R) which in the absence of cisplatin showed increased motility, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and expression of cancer stem cell markers CD117, CD44 and ALDH1. Accordingly, the cells formed self-renewing spheres in serum-free stem cell medium. Despite upregulation of mitochondrial mass and cytochrome c, and no upregulation of Bcl-2/Bcl-xL, SKOV-3-R were multiresistant to antineoplastic drugs. Cancer stem cells, or tumor-initiating cells (TICs) are highly chemoresistant and are believed to cause relapse into disseminated and resistant EOC. Our second aim was therefore to target resistance in these TIC-like cells. Resistance could be correlated with upregulation of hexokinase-II and VDAC, which are known to form a survival-promoting mitochondrial complex. The cells were thus sensitive to 3-bromopyruvate, which dissociates hexokinase-II from this complex, and were particularly sensitive to combination treatment with cisplatin at doses down to 0.1 x IC50. 3-bromopyruvate might thus be of use in targeting the especially aggressive TIC populations. PMID:22954696

  11. Cytotoxic activity of ten algae from the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea on human breast cancer cell lines; MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and T-47D

    PubMed Central

    Erfani, Nasrollah; Nazemosadat, Zahra; Moein, Mahmoodreza

    2015-01-01

    Background: Seaweeds have proven to be a promising natural source of bioactive metabolites for drug development. Objective: This study aimed to monitor the ethanol extract of ten algae from the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea, for their in vitro cytotoxic activity on three human breast cancer cell lines. Materials and Methods: Three human breast cancer cell lines including MDA-MB-231(ER−), MCF-7(ER+), and T-47D (ER+) were treated by different concentrations of total ethanol (90%) algae extracts and the cytotoxic effects were evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Doxorubicin (Ebewe, Austria) was used as a positive control. After 72 h of incubation, the cytotoxic effect of the algae was calculated and presented as 50%-inhibitory concentration (IC50). Results: The results indicated Gracilaria foliifera and Cladophoropsis sp. to be the most active algae in terms of cytotoxic effects on the investigated cancer cell lines. The IC50 values against MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and T-47D cells were, respectively, 74.89 ± 21.71, 207.81 ± 12.07, and 203.25 ± 30.98 µg/ml for G. foliifera and 66.48 ± 4.96, 150.86 ± 51.56 and >400 µg/ml for Cladophoropsis sp. The rest of the algal extracts were observed not to have significant cytotoxic effects in the concentration range from 6.25 µg/ml to 400 µg/ml. Conclusion: Our data conclusively suggest that G. foliifera and Cladophoropsis sp. may be good candidates for further fractionation to obtain novel anticancer substances. Moreover, stronger cytotoxic effects on estrogen negative breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231(ER−)) in comparison to estrogen positive cells (MCF-7 and T-47D) suggest that the extract of G. foliifera and Cladophoropsis sp. may have an estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor-independent mechanism for their cellular growth inhibition. PMID:25829786

  12. Tocotrienols promote apoptosis in human breast cancer cells by inducing poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage and inhibiting nuclear factor kappa-B activity.

    PubMed

    Loganathan, R; Selvaduray, K R; Nesaretnam, K; Radhakrishnan, A K

    2013-04-01

    Tocotrienols and tocopherols are members of the vitamin E family, with similar structures; however, only tocotrienols have been reported to achieve potent anti-cancer effects. The study described here has evaluated anti-cancer activity of vitamin E to elucidate mechanisms of cell death, using human breast cancer cells. Anti-cancer activity of a tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) and a tocotrienol-enriched fraction (TEF) isolated from palm oil, as well as pure vitamin E analogues (α-tocopherol, α-, δ- and γ-tocotrienols) were studied using highly aggressive triple negative MDA-MB-231 cells and oestrogen-dependent MCF-7 cells, both of human breast cancer cell lines. Cell population growth was evaluated using a Coulter particle counter. Cell death mechanism, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage and levels of NF-κB were determined using commercial ELISA kits. Tocotrienols exerted potent anti-proliferative effects on both types of cell by inducing apoptosis, the underlying mechanism of cell death being ascertained using respective IC50 concentrations of all test compounds. There was marked induction of apoptosis in both cell lines by tocotrienols compared to treatment with Paclitaxel, which was used as positive control. This activity was found to be associated with cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (a DNA repair protein), demonstrating involvement of the apoptotic cell death signalling pathway. Tocotrienols also inhibited expression of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), which in turn can increase sensitivity of cancer cells to apoptosis. Tocotrienols induced anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects in association with DNA fragmentation, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage and NF-κB inhibition in the two human breast cancer cell lines. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  13. New halogenated constituents from Mangifera zeylanica Hook.f. and their potential anti-cancer effects in breast and ovarian cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Ediriweera, Meran Keshawa; Tennekoon, Kamani Hemamala; Adhikari, Achyut; Samarakoon, Sameera Ranganath; Thabrew, Ira; de Silva, E Dilip

    2016-08-02

    Mangifera zeylanica Hook.f. (Anacardiaceae) is a plant endemic to Sri Lanka. Its bark has been used in traditional and Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of various diseases including some cancers. This study was planned to isolate and identify potentially cytotoxic compounds from the bark of M. zeylanica, which may have contributed to its ethno pharmacological use in the treatment of cancer. The chloroform extract of M. zeylanica bark which is cytotoxic to breast and ovarian cancer cells was fractionated using column chromatography and preparative reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography to isolate four compounds. Structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by means of (1)H- and (13)C NMR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometric techniques. Cytotoxic potential of the isolated compounds was tested in MDA-MB-231 (triple negative breast cancer), MCF-7 (estrogen receptor positive breast cancer), SKOV-3 (ovarian epithelial cancer) and MCF-10A (normal mammary epithelial) cells by SRB assay. Human cancer drug target real-time PCR array was carried out to analyze regulation of possible cancer drug target genes in compound 2 treated triple negative breast cancer cells. DPPH radical scavenging and caspase 3 and 7 induction in response to isolated compounds were also studied. Two new halogenated compounds, bromomangiferic acid (1), and chloromangiferamide (2) along with two known compounds quercetin (3), and catechin (4), were isolated from the bark of Mangifera zeylanica for the first time. Interestingly, chloromangiferamide showed cytotoxicity only to triple negative breast cancer cells [IC50:73.19±0.87µM (24h), 56.29±0.86µM (48h)] with no cytotoxicity to other two cancer cell lines or to normal mammary epithelial cells. Quercetin and catechin were cytotoxic to all three cancer cell lines while bromomangiferic acid had no effect. Chloromangiferamide significantly regulated expression of genes associated with apoptosis, drug metabolism, cell cycle, receptor tyrosine kinase signaling, protein kinases, histone deacetylases, growth factors and receptors, topoisomerases, PI-3 kinases and phosphatases in triple negative breast cancer cells. Selective cytotoxic activity in triple negative breast cancer cells and regulation of some cancer drug target genes by chloromangiferamide indicate that it can be used to develop a potential chemotherapeutic agent for triple negative breast cancer cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Screening and identification of novel compounds with potential anti-proliferative effects on gallium-resistant lung cancer through an AXL kinase pathway.

    PubMed

    Oyewumi, Moses O; Alazizi, Adnan; Liva, Sophia; Lin, Li; Geldenhuys, Werner J

    2014-09-15

    The clinical application of gallium compounds as anticancer agents is hampered by development of resistance. As a potential strategy to overcome the limitation, eight series of compounds were identified through virtual screening of AXL kinase homology model. Anti-proliferative studies were carried using gallium-sensitive (S) and gallium-resistant (R) human lung adenocarcinoma (A549) cells. Compounds 5476423 and 7919469 were identified as leads. The IC50 values from treating R-cells showed compounds 5476423 and 7919469 had 80 fold and 13 fold increased potency, respectively, compared to gallium acetylacetonate (GaAcAc). The efficacy of GaAcAc against R-cells was increased 2 fold and 1.2 fold when combined with compounds 5476423 and 7919469, respectively. Compared with S-cells, R-cells showed elevated expression of AXL protein, which was significantly suppressed through treatments with the lead compounds. It is anticipated that the lead compounds could be applied in virtual screening programs to identify novel scaffolds for new therapeutic agents as well as combinatorial therapy agents in gallium resistant lung cancer. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. A Schiff base-derived copper (II) complex is a potent inducer of apoptosis in colon cancer cells by activating the intrinsic pathway.

    PubMed

    Hajrezaie, Maryam; Paydar, Mohammadjavad; Moghadamtousi, Soheil Zorofchian; Hassandarvish, Pouya; Gwaram, Nura Suleiman; Zahedifard, Maryam; Rouhollahi, Elham; Karimian, Hamed; Looi, Chung Yeng; Ali, Hapipah Mohd; Abdul Majid, Nazia; Abdulla, Mahmood Ameen

    2014-01-01

    Metal-based drugs with extensive clinical applications hold great promise for the development of cancer chemotherapeutic agents. In the last few decades, Schiff bases and their complexes have become well known for their extensive biological potential. In the present study, we examined the antiproliferative effect of a copper (II) complex on HT-29 colon cancer cells. The Cu(BrHAP)2 Schiff base compound demonstrated a potent antiproliferative effect in HT-29 cells, with an IC50 value of 2.87  μg/ml after 72 h of treatment. HT-29 cells treated with Cu (II) complexes underwent apoptosis death, as exhibited by a progressive elevation in the proportion of the G1 cell population. At a concentration of 6.25  μg/ml, the Cu(BrHAP)2 compound caused significant elevation in ROS production following perturbation of mitochondrial membrane potential and cytochrome c release, as assessed by the measurement of fluorescence intensity in stained cells. Furthermore, the activation of caspases 3/7 and 9 was part of the Cu (II) complex-induced apoptosis, which confirmed the involvement of mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis. Meanwhile, there was no significant activation of caspase-8. Taken together, these results imply that the Cu(BrHAP)2 compound is a potential candidate for further in vivo and clinical colon cancer studies to develop novel chemotherapeutic agents derived from metal-based agents.

  16. A Schiff Base-Derived Copper (II) Complex Is a Potent Inducer of Apoptosis in Colon Cancer Cells by Activating the Intrinsic Pathway

    PubMed Central

    Hajrezaie, Maryam; Paydar, Mohammadjavad; Zorofchian Moghadamtousi, Soheil; Hassandarvish, Pouya; Gwaram, Nura Suleiman; Zahedifard, Maryam; Rouhollahi, Elham; Karimian, Hamed; Looi, Chung Yeng; Ali, Hapipah Mohd; Abdul Majid, Nazia; Abdulla, Mahmood Ameen

    2014-01-01

    Metal-based drugs with extensive clinical applications hold great promise for the development of cancer chemotherapeutic agents. In the last few decades, Schiff bases and their complexes have become well known for their extensive biological potential. In the present study, we examined the antiproliferative effect of a copper (II) complex on HT-29 colon cancer cells. The Cu(BrHAP)2 Schiff base compound demonstrated a potent antiproliferative effect in HT-29 cells, with an IC50 value of 2.87 μg/ml after 72 h of treatment. HT-29 cells treated with Cu (II) complexes underwent apoptosis death, as exhibited by a progressive elevation in the proportion of the G1 cell population. At a concentration of 6.25 μg/ml, the Cu(BrHAP)2 compound caused significant elevation in ROS production following perturbation of mitochondrial membrane potential and cytochrome c release, as assessed by the measurement of fluorescence intensity in stained cells. Furthermore, the activation of caspases 3/7 and 9 was part of the Cu (II) complex-induced apoptosis, which confirmed the involvement of mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis. Meanwhile, there was no significant activation of caspase-8. Taken together, these results imply that the Cu(BrHAP)2 compound is a potential candidate for further in vivo and clinical colon cancer studies to develop novel chemotherapeutic agents derived from metal-based agents. PMID:24737979

  17. Poly(amido)amine (PAMAM) dendrimer-cisplatin complexes for chemotherapy of cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yellepeddi, Venkata Kashyap; Vangara, Kiran Kumar; Palakurthi, Srinath

    2013-09-01

    Dendrimer-cisplatin complexes were prepared using PAMAM dendrimers with terminal -NH2 and -COOH groups as well as biotin-conjugated dendrimers. Preformulation parameters of dendrimer-cisplatin complexes were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Cytotoxicity and mechanism of cytotoxicity of dendrimer-cisplatin complexes was investigated in OVCAR-3, SKOV, A2780 and cisplatin-resistant CP70 human ovarian cancer cell lines. The loading of cisplatin in dendrimers was 11 % (w/w). PAMAM G4 dendrimers with amine surface groups (biotinylated and native) have shown 2.5- to 3.0-fold reduction in IC50 values in ovarian cancer cells when compared with carboxylate surface dendrimers ( p < 0.05). A correlation was observed among cytotoxicity of the complexes, cellular uptake, and platinum-DNA adduct formation. Treatment with dendrimer-cisplatin complexes resulted in a 7.0-fold increase ( p < 0.05) in expression of apoptotic genes ( Bcl2, Bax, p53) and 13.2- to 27.1-fold increase ( p < 0.05) in the activity of caspases 3, 8, and 9 in vitro. Results suggest that PAMAM dendrimers can be used as potential carrier for cisplatin chemotherapy of ovarian cancer.

  18. Synthesis and cytotoxic activity evaluation of some novel 1-(3-(aryl-4,5-dihydroisoxazol-5-yl)methyl)-4-trihalomethyl-1H-pyrimidin-2-ones in human cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Lobo, Marcio M; Viau, Cassiana M; Dos Santos, Josiane M; Bonacorso, Helio G; Martins, Marcos A P; Amaral, Simone S; Saffi, Jenifer; Zanatta, Nilo

    2015-08-28

    The synthesis of a series of 14 new 1-(3-(aryl-4,5-dihydroisoxazol-5-yl)methyl)-4-trihalomethyl-1H-pyrimidin-2-ones from the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of 1-allyl-4-(trihalomethyl)pyrimidin-2(1H)-ones with aryl nitrile oxides is described. Also, the antiproliferative activity of the title compounds was tested against five human tumoral cell lines: MCF-7 breast cancer cell line, ER+ (estrogen receptor positive); HepG-2 (hepatoma); T-24 (bladder cancer); HCT-116 cell (colorectal carcinoma); and CACO-2. The preliminary results are promising, since three compounds presented IC50 values below 2 μM, as well as moderate to high selectivity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  19. Reversal of in vitro cellular MRP1 and MRP2 mediated vincristine resistance by the flavonoid myricetin.

    PubMed

    van Zanden, Jelmer J; de Mul, Anika; Wortelboer, Heleen M; Usta, Mustafa; van Bladeren, Peter J; Rietjens, Ivonne M C M; Cnubben, Nicole H P

    2005-06-01

    In the present study, the effects of myricetin on either MRP1 or MRP2 mediated vincristine resistance in transfected MDCKII cells were examined. The results obtained show that myricetin can inhibit both MRP1 and MRP2 mediated vincristine efflux in a concentration dependent manner. The IC50 values for cellular vincristine transport inhibition by myricetin were 30.5+/-1.7 microM for MRP1 and 24.6+/-1.3 microM for MRP2 containing MDCKII cells. Cell proliferation analysis showed that the MDCKII control cells are very sensitive towards vincristine toxicity with an IC50 value of 1.1+/-0.1 microM. The MDCKII MRP1 and MRP2 cells are less sensitive towards vincristine toxicity with IC50 values of 33.1+/-1.9 and 22.2+/-1.4 microM, respectively. In both the MRP1 and MRP2 cells, exposure to 25 microM myricetin enhances the sensitivity of the cells towards vincristine toxicity to IC50 values of 7.6+/-0.5 and 5.8+/-0.5 microM, respectively. The increase of sensitivity represents a reversal of the resistance towards vincristine as a result of MRP1 and MRP2 inhibition. Thus, the present study demonstrates the ability of the flavonoid myricetin to modulate MRP1 and MRP2 mediated resistance to the anticancer drug vincristine in transfected cells, indicating that flavonoids might be a valuable adjunct to chemotherapy to block MRP mediated resistance.

  20. In Vitro Anticancer Effect of Gedunin on Human Teratocarcinomal (NTERA-2) Cancer Stem-Like Cells

    PubMed Central

    Tharmarajah, Luxmiga; Ediriweera, Meran Keshawa; Piyathilaka, Poorna; Senathilake, Kanishka Sithira; Rajagopalan, Umapriyatharshini; Galhena, Prasanna Bandula

    2017-01-01

    Gedunin is one of the major compounds found in the neem tree (Azadirachta indica). In the present study, antiproliferative potential of gedunin was evaluated in human embryonal carcinoma cells (NTERA-2, a cancer stem cell model) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), using Sulforhodamine (SRB) and WST-1 assays, respectively. The effects of gedunin on expression of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), its cochaperone Cdc37, and HSP client proteins (AKT, ErbB2, and HSF1) were evaluated by real-time PCR. Effects of gedunin on apoptosis were evaluated by (a) apoptosis associated morphological changes, (b) caspase 3/7 expression, (c) DNA fragmentation, (d) TUNEL assay, and (e) real-time PCR of apoptosis related genes (Bax, p53, and survivin). Gedunin showed a promising antiproliferative effect in NTERA-2 cells with IC50 values of 14.59, 8.49, and 6.55 μg/mL at 24, 48, and 72 h after incubations, respectively, while exerting a minimal effect on PBMCs. Expression of HSP90, its client proteins, and survivin was inhibited and Bax and p53 were upregulated by gedunin. Apoptosis related morphological changes, DNA fragmentation, and increased caspase 3/7 activities confirmed the proapoptotic effects of gedunin. Collectively, results indicate that gedunin may be a good drug lead for treatment of chemo and radiotherapy resistant cancer stem cells. PMID:28680880

  1. Lucidumol C, a new cytotoxic lanostanoid triterpene from Ganoderma lingzhi against human cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Amen, Yhiya M; Zhu, Qinchang; Tran, Hai-Bang; Afifi, Mohamed S; Halim, Ahmed F; Ashour, Ahmed; Mira, Amira; Shimizu, Kuniyoshi

    2016-07-01

    A new oxygenated lanostane-type triterpene, named lucidumol C, together with six known compounds, was isolated from the chloroform extract of the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma lingzhi. Structures were established based on extensive spectroscopic and chemical studies. Potential cytotoxic activities of the isolated compounds were evaluated against human colorectal carcinoma (HCT-116, Caco-2), human liver carcinoma (HepG2), and human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cell lines using WST-1 reagent. Selectivity was evaluated using normal human fibroblast cells (TIG-1 and HF19). Among the compounds, lucidumol C showed potent selective cytotoxicity against HCT-116 cells with an IC50 value of 7.86 ± 4.56 µM and selectivity index (SI) >10 with remarkable cytotoxic activities against Caco-2, HepG2 and HeLa cell lines.

  2. Inhibition of PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway sensitizes endometrial cancer cell lines to PARP inhibitors.

    PubMed

    Philip, Charles-André; Laskov, Ido; Beauchamp, Marie-Claude; Marques, Maud; Amin, Oreekha; Bitharas, Joanna; Kessous, Roy; Kogan, Liron; Baloch, Tahira; Gotlieb, Walter H; Yasmeen, Amber

    2017-09-08

    Phosphatase and Tensin homolog (PTEN) is a tumor suppressor gene. Loss of its function is the most frequent genetic alteration in endometrioid endometrial cancers (70-80%) and high grade tumors (90%). We assessed the sensitivity of endometrial cancer cell lines to PARP inhibitors (olaparib and BMN-673) and a PI3K inhibitor (BKM-120), alone or in combination, in the context of their PTEN mutation status. We also highlighted a direct pathway linking PTEN to DNA repair. Using endometrial cancer cellular models with known PTEN status, we evaluated their homologous recombination (HR) functionality by RAD51 foci formation assay. The 50% Inhibitory concentration (IC50) of PI3K and PARP inhibitors in these cells was assessed, and western blotting was performed to determine the expression of proteins involved in the PI3K/mTOR pathway. Moreover, we explored the interaction between RAD51 and PI3K/mTOR by immunofluorescence. Next, the combination effect of PI3K and PARP inhibitors on cell proliferation was evaluated by a clonogenic assay. Cells with mutated PTEN showed over-activation of the PI3K/mTOR pathway. These cells were more sensitive to PARP inhibition compared to PTEN wild-type cells. In addition, PI3K inhibitor treatment reduced RAD51 foci formation in PTEN mutated cells, and sensitized these cells to PARP inhibitor. Targeting both PARP and PI3K might lead to improved personalized therapeutic approaches in endometrial cancer patients with PTEN mutations. Understanding the complex interaction of PTEN mutations with DNA repair in endometrial cancer will help to better select patients that are likely to respond to some of the new and costly targeted therapies.

  3. Evaluation of cytotoxic and chemotherapeutic properties of boldine in breast cancer using in vitro and in vivo models

    PubMed Central

    Paydar, Mohammadjavad; Kamalidehghan, Behnam; Wong, Yi Li; Wong, Won Fen; Looi, Chung Yeng; Mustafa, Mohd Rais

    2014-01-01

    To date, plants have been the major source of anticancer drugs. Boldine is a natural alkaloid commonly found in the leaves and bark of Peumus boldus. In this study, we found that boldine potently inhibited the viability of the human invasive breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231 (48-hour IC50 46.5±3.1 μg/mL) and MDA-MB-468 (48-hour IC50 50.8±2.7 μg/mL). Boldine had a cytotoxic effect and induced apoptosis in breast cancer cells as indicated by a higher amount of lactate dehydrogenase released, membrane permeability, and DNA fragmentation. In addition, we demonstrated that boldine induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase. The anticancer mechanism is associated with disruption of the mitochondrial membrane potential and release of cytochrome c in MDA-MB-231. Boldine selectively induced activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3/7, but not caspase-8. We also found that boldine could inhibit nuclear factor kappa B activation, a key molecule in tumor progression and metastasis. In addition, protein array and Western blotting analysis showed that treatment with boldine resulted in downregulation of Bcl-2 and heat shock protein 70 and upregulation of Bax in the MDA-MB-231 cell line. An acute toxicity study in rats revealed that boldine at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight was well tolerated. Moreover, intraperitoneal injection of boldine (50 or 100 mg/kg) significantly reduced tumor size in an animal model of breast cancer. Our results suggest that boldine is a potentially useful agent for the treatment of breast cancer. PMID:24944509

  4. GAS5 modulated autophagy is a mechanism modulating cisplatin sensitivity in NSCLC cells.

    PubMed

    Zhang, N; Yang, G-Q; Shao, X-M; Wei, L

    2016-06-01

    In this study, we investigated the association between lncRNA GAS5 and cisplatin (DDP) resistance in NSCLC and further studied the regulative effect of GAS5 on autophagy and DDP resistance. GAS5 expression in cancerous and adjacent normal tissues from 15 NSCLC patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and the following surgery were measured using qRT-PCR analysis. GAS5 gain-and-loss study was performed using A549 and A549/DDP cells as an in-vitro model to investigate the effect of GAS5 on autophagy and cisplatin sensitivity. NSCLC tissues had a substantially lower expression of GAS5 than adjacent normal tissues. The NSCLC tissues from patients with progressive disease (PD) had even lower GAS5 expression. GAS5 knockdown increased DDP IC50 of A549 cells, while GAS5 overexpression decreased DDP IC50 of A549/DDP cells. A549/DDP cells had significantly higher basal autophagy than A549 cells. GAS5 knockdown resulted in decreased autophagy in A549 cells, while GAS5 overexpression led to increased autophagy in A549/DDP cells. Treatment with 3-MA, an autophagy inhibitor, significantly decreased DDP IC50 and promoted DDP-induced cell apoptosis in A549 cells. In addition, 3-MA also partly reversed the effect of GAS5 knockdown. In A549/DDP cells, GAS5 showed the similar effect as 3-MA in reducing DPP IC50 and promoting DDP-induced apoptosis and also presented synergic effect with 3-MA. GAS5 downregulation is associated with cisplatin resistance in NSCLC. GAS5 can inhibit autophagy and therefore enhance cisplatin sensitivity in NSCLC cells.

  5. Antiproliferative and Apoptotic Potential of Cyanidin-Based Anthocyanins on Melanoma Cells

    PubMed Central

    Rugină, Dumitriţa; Hanganu, Daniela; Diaconeasa, Zoriţa; Tăbăran, Flaviu; Coman, Cristina; Leopold, Loredana; Bunea, Andrea; Pintea, Adela

    2017-01-01

    Elderberries are known for their high anthocyanins content, which have been shown to possess anti-proliferative and anti-cancer effects. Anthocyanins enriched extract (AEE) was obtained from elderberries and was characterized by LC/DAD/ESI-MS analysis. Five cyanidin-based anthocyanins were identified, among which Cy-3-O-samb was the major compound (51%). The total anthocyanins content of AEE was 495 mg Cy-3-O-samb/100 g FW. AEE inhibited proliferation of metastatic B16-F10 murine melanoma cells, in a concentration-dependent manner, with an IC50 of 264.3 μg/mL. LDH (lactate dehydrogenase), as a marker of membrane integrity, increased 74% in B16-F10 cells treated with 250 μg/mL AEE, compared to control. It was observed that apoptosis is the mechanism of melanoma cell death after AEE treatment, confirmed morphologically by acridine orange/ethidium bromide double staining and TUNEL analysis. These results indicate that elderberry-derived anthocyanins might be utilized in future applications as topical adjuvant in skin cancer therapy. PMID:28468289

  6. TAN-1813, a novel Ras-farnesyltransferase inhibitor produced by Phoma sp. taxonomy, fermentation, isolation and biological activities in vitro and in vivo.

    PubMed

    Ishii, T; Hayashi, K; Hida, T; Yamamoto, Y; Nozaki, Y

    2000-08-01

    A novel Ras-farnesyltransferase inhibitor designated TAN-1813 was isolated from the culture broth of a fungus strain, FL-41510, isolated as a plant endophyte. The producer was taxonomically characterized as Phoma sp. FL-41510. TAN-1813 inhibited rat brain farnesyltransferase and geranylgeranyltransferase I activity with IC50 values of 23 microg/ml and 47/microg/ml, respectively. TAN-1813 showed mixed-type inhibition with respect to farnesylpyrophosphate and noncompetitive inhibition with respect to a K-Ras C-terminal peptide. It also inhibited the in situ farnesylation of cellular Ras proteins in a K-ras transformant (NIH3T3/K-ras) of mouse embryonic fibroblast cell line NIH3T3. TAN- 1813 inhibited the proliferation of various human cancer cells, some of which harbor activated ras alleles, with IC50 values of 15 approximately 110 ng/ml as well as that of NIH3T3 and NIH3T3/K-ras cells with IC50S of 540 and 310 ng/ml, respectively. Flow cytometric analysis indicated that TAN-1813 arrests NIH3T3/K-ras cells at both G1 and G2/M phases of the cell cycle. In addition, TAN-1813 was found to induce morphological reversion of NIH3T3/K-ras cells from the transformed phenotype. Antitumor activity of TAN-1813 against human fibrosarcoma HT-1080 and NIH3T3/K-ras tumors in nude mice was also verified.

  7. Antiproliferative and Apoptotic Potential of Cyanidin-Based Anthocyanins on Melanoma Cells.

    PubMed

    Rugină, Dumitriţa; Hanganu, Daniela; Diaconeasa, Zoriţa; Tăbăran, Flaviu; Coman, Cristina; Leopold, Loredana; Bunea, Andrea; Pintea, Adela

    2017-04-30

    Elderberries are known for their high anthocyanins content, which have been shown to possess anti-proliferative and anti-cancer effects. Anthocyanins enriched extract (AEE) was obtained from elderberries and was characterized by LC/DAD/ESI-MS analysis. Five cyanidin-based anthocyanins were identified, among which Cy-3- O -samb was the major compound (51%). The total anthocyanins content of AEE was 495 mg Cy-3- O -samb/100 g FW. AEE inhibited proliferation of metastatic B16-F10 murine melanoma cells, in a concentration-dependent manner, with an IC50 of 264.3 μg/mL. LDH (lactate dehydrogenase), as a marker of membrane integrity, increased 74% in B16-F10 cells treated with 250 μg/mL AEE, compared to control. It was observed that apoptosis is the mechanism of melanoma cell death after AEE treatment, confirmed morphologically by acridine orange/ethidium bromide double staining and TUNEL analysis. These results indicate that elderberry-derived anthocyanins might be utilized in future applications as topical adjuvant in skin cancer therapy.

  8. Ethanolic extract of Ferula gummosa is cytotoxic against cancer cells by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.

    PubMed

    Gudarzi, Hoda; Salimi, Mona; Irian, Saeed; Amanzadeh, Amir; Mostafapour Kandelous, Hirsa; Azadmanesh, Keyhan; Salimi, Misha

    2015-01-01

    Ferula gummosa Boiss. has medicinal applications in treating a wide range of diseases including cancer. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antiproliferative activities of the seed and gum extracts of F. gummosa as well as to study the effect of the potent extract on the induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Our results demonstrated that the ethanolic extract had the lowest IC50 value at 72 h (0.001 ± 1.2 mg/mL) in BHY cells. Moreover, flowcytometry and annexin-V analysis revealed that the ethanolic extract induced apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest in BHY cells at G1/S phase. In addition, colorimetric methods exhibited the highest amount of total phenolics and flavonoids in the aqueous and gum extracts (0.12 ± 0.037, 0.01 ± 2.51 mg/g of dry powder). Generally, the results obtained indicate that F. gummosa ethanol extract may contain effective compounds which can be used as a chemotherapeutic agent.

  9. In vitro antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of methanolic plant part extracts of Theobroma cacao.

    PubMed

    Baharum, Zainal; Akim, Abdah Md; Taufiq-Yap, Yun Hin; Hamid, Roslida Abdul; Kasran, Rosmin

    2014-11-10

    The aims of this study were to determine the antioxidant and antiproliferative activity of the following Theobroma cacao plant part methanolic extracts: leaf, bark, husk, fermented and unfermented shell, pith, root, and cherelle. Antioxidant activity was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), and Folin-Ciocalteu assays; the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) assay was used to determine antiproliferative activity. The root extract had the highest antioxidant activity; its median effective dose (EC50) was 358.3±7.0 µg/mL and total phenolic content was 22.0±1.1 g GAE/100 g extract as compared to the other methanolic plant part extracts. Only the cherelle extract demonstrated 10.4%±1.1% inhibition activity in the lipid peroxidation assay. The MTT assay revealed that the leaf extract had the highest antiproliferative activity against MCF-7 cells [median inhibitory concentration (IC50)=41.4±3.3 µg/mL]. Given the overall high IC50 for the normal liver cell line WRL-68, this study indicates that T. cacao methanolic extracts have a cytotoxic effect in cancer cells, but not in normal cells. Planned future investigations will involve the purification, identification, determination of the mechanisms of action, and molecular assay of T. cacao plant extracts.

  10. Proapoptotic and Antimetastatic Properties of Supercritical CO2 Extract of Nigella sativa Linn. Against Breast Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Baharetha, Hussein M.; Nassar, Zeyad D.; Aisha, Abdalrahim F.; Ahamed, Mohamed B. Khadeer; Al-Suede, Foaud Saleih R.; Kadir, Mohd Omar Abd; Ismail, Zhari

    2013-01-01

    Abstract Nigella sativa, commonly referred as black cumin, is a popular spice that has been used since the ancient Egyptians. It has traditionally been used for treatment of various human ailments ranging from fever to intestinal disturbances to cancer. This study investigated the apoptotic, antimetastatic, and anticancer activities of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extracts of the seeds of N. sativa Linn. against estrogen-dependent human breast cancer cells (MCF-7). Twelve extracts were prepared from N. sativa seeds using the SC-CO2 extraction method by varying pressure and temperature. Extracts were analyzed using FTIR and UV-Vis spectrometry. Cytotoxicity of the extracts was evaluated on various human cancer and normal cell lines. Of the 12 extracts, 1 extract (A3) that was prepared at 60°C and 2500 psi (∼17.24 MPa) showed selective antiproliferative activity against MCF-7 cells with an IC50 of 53.34±2.15 μg/mL. Induction of apoptosis was confirmed by evaluating caspases activities and observing the cells under a scanning electron microscope. In vitro antimetastatic properties of A3 were investigated by colony formation, cell migration, and cell invasion assays. The elevated levels of caspases in A3 treated MCF-7 cells suggest that A3 is proapoptotic. Further nuclear condensation and fragmentation studies confirmed that A3 induces cytotoxicity through the apoptosis pathway. A3 also demonstrated remarkable inhibition in migration and invasion assays of MCF-7 cells at subcytotoxic concentrations. Thus, this study highlights the therapeutic potentials of SC-CO2 extract of N. sativa in targeting breast cancer. PMID:24328702

  11. Fucoidan cytotoxicity against human breast cancer T47D cell line increases with higher level of sulfate ester group

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saepudin, Endang; Alfita Qosthalani, Fildzah; Sinurat, Ellya

    2018-01-01

    The anticancer activity of different sulfate ester group content in different molecular weight was examined. The anticancer activity was achieved in vitro on human breast cancer T47D cell line. Fucoidan with lower molecular weight (5.79 kDa) tends to have lower sulfate ester group content (8.69%) and resulted in higher IC50 value (184.22 μg/mL). While fucoidan with higher molecular weight (785.12 kDa) tends to have higher sulfate level (18.63%) and achieved lower IC50 value (75.69 μg/mL). The result showed that in order to maintain fucoidan cytotoxic activity against human breast cancer T47D cell line, the sulfate content should be remain high. Keywords: fucoidan, sulfate ester group, human breast cancer

  12. Conjugated polymer and drug co-encapsulated nanoparticles for Chemo- and Photo-thermal Combination Therapy with two-photon regulated fast drug release

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yuan, Youyong; Wang, Zuyong; Cai, Pingqiang; Liu, Jie; Liao, Lun-De; Hong, Minghui; Chen, Xiaodong; Thakor, Nitish; Liu, Bin

    2015-02-01

    The spatial-temporal synchronization of photothermal therapy and chemotherapy is highly desirable for an efficient cancer treatment with synergistic effect. Herein, we developed a chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (DOX) and photothermal conjugated polymer (CP) co-loaded nanoplatform using a near-infrared (NIR) laser responsive amphiphilic brush copolymer as the encapsulation matrix. The obtained nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit good monodispersity and excellent stability, which can efficiently convert laser energy into thermal energy for photothermal therapy. Moreover, the hydrophobic polymer matrix bearing a number of 2-diazo-1,2-naphthoquinones (DNQ) moieties could be transformed to a hydrophilic one upon NIR two-photon laser irradiation, which leads to fast drug release. Furthermore, the surface modification of the NPs with cyclic arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (cRGD) tripeptide significantly enhances the accumulation of the NPs within integrin αvβ3 overexpressed cancer cells. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of the combination therapy is 13.7 μg mL-1, while the IC50 for chemotherapy and photothermal therapy alone is 147.8 μg mL-1 and 36.2 μg mL-1, respectively. The combination index (C.I.) is 0.48 (<1), which indicates the synergistic effect for chemotherapy and PTT. These findings provide an excellent NIR laser regulated nanoplatform for combined cancer treatment with synergistic effect due to the synchronous chemo- and photo-thermal therapy.

  13. MicroRNA-19a/b mediates grape seed procyanidin extract-induced anti-neoplastic effects against lung cancer.

    PubMed

    Mao, Jenny T; Xue, Bingye; Smoake, Jane; Lu, Qing-Yi; Park, Heesung; Henning, Susanne M; Burns, Windie; Bernabei, Alvise; Elashoff, David; Serio, Kenneth J; Massie, Larry

    2016-08-01

    Oncomirs are microRNAs (miRNA) associated with carcinogenesis and malignant transformation. They have emerged as potential molecular targets for anti-cancer therapy. We hypothesize that grape seed procyanidin extract (GSE) exerts antineoplastic effects through modulations of oncomirs and their downstream targets. We found that GSE significantly down-regulated oncomirs miR-19a and -19b in a variety of lung neoplastic cells. GSE also increased mRNA and protein levels of insulin-like growth factor II receptor (IGF-2R) and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), both predicted targets of miR-19a and -19b. Furthermore, GSE significantly increased PTEN activity and decreased AKT phosphorylation in A549 cells. Transfection of miR-19a and -19b mimics reversed the up-regulations of IGF2R and PTEN gene expression and abrogated the GSE induced anti-proliferative response. Additionally, oral administration of leucoselect phytosome, comprised of standardized grape seed oligomeric procyanidins complexed with soy phospholipids, to athymic nude mice via gavage, significantly down-regulated miR-19a, -19b and the miR-17-92 cluster host gene (MIR17HG) expressions, increased IGF-2R, PTEN, decreased phosphorylated-AKT in A549 xenograft tumors, and markedly inhibited tumor growth. To confirm the absorption of orally administered GSE, plasma procyanidin B1 levels, between 60 and 90 min after gavage of leucoselect phytosome (400 mg/kg), were measured by LC/MS at week 2 and 8 of treatment; the estimated concentration that was associated with 50% growth inhibition (IC50) (1.3 μg/mL) in vitro was much higher than the IC50 (0.032-0.13 μg/ml) observed in vivo. Our findings reveal novel antineoplastic mechanisms by GSE and support the clinical translation of leucoselect phytosome as an anti-neoplastic and chemopreventive agent for lung cancer. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  14. AshwaMAX and Withaferin A inhibits gliomas in cellular and murine orthotopic models.

    PubMed

    Chang, Edwin; Pohling, Christoph; Natarajan, Arutselvan; Witney, Timothy H; Kaur, Jasdeep; Xu, Lingyun; Gowrishankar, Gayatri; D'Souza, Aloma L; Murty, Surya; Schick, Sophie; Chen, Liyin; Wu, Nicholas; Khaw, Phoo; Mischel, Paul; Abbasi, Taher; Usmani, Shahabuddin; Mallick, Parag; Gambhir, Sanjiv S

    2016-01-01

    Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive, malignant cancer Johnson and O'Neill (J Neurooncol 107: 359-364, 2012). An extract from the winter cherry plant (Withania somnifera ), AshwaMAX, is concentrated (4.3 %) for Withaferin A; a steroidal lactone that inhibits cancer cells Vanden Berghe et al. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomark Prev 23: 1985-1996, 2014). We hypothesized that AshwaMAX could treat GBM and that bioluminescence imaging (BLI) could track oral therapy in orthotopic murine models of glioblastoma. Human parietal-cortical glioblastoma cells (GBM2, GBM39) were isolated from primary tumors while U87-MG was obtained commercially. GBM2 was transduced with lentiviral vectors that express Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP)/firefly luciferase fusion proteins. Mutational, expression and proliferative status of GBMs were studied. Intracranial xenografts of glioblastomas were grown in the right frontal regions of female, nude mice (n = 3-5 per experiment). Tumor growth was followed through BLI. Neurosphere cultures (U87-MG, GBM2 and GBM39) were inhibited by AshwaMAX at IC50 of 1.4, 0.19 and 0.22 µM equivalent respectively and by Withaferin A with IC50 of 0.31, 0.28 and 0.25 µM respectively. Oral gavage, every other day, of AshwaMAX (40 mg/kg per day) significantly reduced bioluminescence signal (n = 3 mice, p < 0.02, four parameter non-linear regression analysis) in preclinical models. After 30 days of treatment, bioluminescent signal increased suggesting onset of resistance. BLI signal for control, vehicle-treated mice increased and then plateaued. Bioluminescent imaging revealed diffuse growth of GBM2 xenografts. With AshwaMAX, GBM neurospheres collapsed at nanomolar concentrations. Oral treatment studies on murine models confirmed that AshwaMAX is effective against orthotopic GBM. AshwaMAX is thus a promising candidate for future clinical translation in patients with GBM.

  15. Profiling the anti-protozoal activity of anti-cancer HDAC inhibitors against Plasmodium and Trypanosoma parasites.

    PubMed

    Engel, Jessica A; Jones, Amy J; Avery, Vicky M; Sumanadasa, Subathdrage D M; Ng, Susanna S; Fairlie, David P; Skinner-Adams, Tina; Andrews, Katherine T

    2015-12-01

    Histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes work together with histone acetyltransferases (HATs) to reversibly acetylate both histone and non-histone proteins. As a result, these enzymes are involved in regulating chromatin structure and gene expression as well as other important cellular processes. HDACs are validated drug targets for some types of cancer, with four HDAC inhibitors clinically approved. However, they are also showing promise as novel drug targets for other indications, including malaria and other parasitic diseases. In this study the in vitro activity of four anti-cancer HDAC inhibitors was examined against parasites that cause malaria and trypanosomiasis. Three of these inhibitors, suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA; vorinostat(®)), romidepsin (Istodax(®)) and belinostat (Beleodaq(®)), are clinically approved for the treatment of T-cell lymphoma, while the fourth, panobinostat, has recently been approved for combination therapy use in certain patients with multiple myeloma. All HDAC inhibitors were found to inhibit the growth of asexual-stage Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites in the nanomolar range (IC50 10-200 nM), while only romidepsin was active at sub-μM concentrations against bloodstream form Trypanosoma brucei brucei parasites (IC50 35 nM). The compounds were found to have some selectivity for malaria parasites compared with mammalian cells, but were not selective for trypanosome parasites versus mammalian cells. All compounds caused hyperacetylation of histone and non-histone proteins in P. falciparum asexual stage parasites and inhibited deacetylase activity in P. falciparum nuclear extracts in addition to recombinant PfHDAC1 activity. P. falciparum histone hyperacetylation data indicate that HDAC inhibitors may differentially affect the acetylation profiles of histone H3 and H4.

  16. Targeting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in primary ovarian cancer with the porcupine inhibitor WNT974.

    PubMed

    Boone, Jonathan D; Arend, Rebecca C; Johnston, Bobbi E; Cooper, Sara J; Gilchrist, Scott A; Oelschlager, Denise K; Grizzle, William E; McGwin, Gerald; Gangrade, Abhishek; Straughn, J Michael; Buchsbaum, Donald J

    2016-02-01

    Preclinical studies in ovarian cancer have demonstrated upregulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway promoting tumor proliferation and chemoresistance. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitor, WNT974, in primary ovarian cancer ascites cells. Ascites cells from patients with papillary serous ovarian cancer were isolated and treated with 1 μM WNT974±100 μM carboplatin. Viability was evaluated with the ATPlite assay. The IC50 was calculated using a dose-response analysis. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on ascites cells and tumor. Expression of R-spondin 2 (RSPO2), RSPO3, PORCN, WLS, AXIN2, and three previously characterized RSPO fusion transcripts were assessed using Taqman assays. Sixty ascites samples were analyzed for response to WNT974. The ascites samples that showed a decrease in ATP concentration after treatment demonstrated no difference from the untreated cells in percent viability with trypan blue staining. Flow cytometry demonstrated fewer cells in the G2 phase and more in the G1 and S phases after treatment with WNT974. Combination therapy with WNT974 and carboplatin resulted in a higher percentage of samples that showed ≥30% reduction in ATP concentration than either single drug treatment. IHC analysis of Wnt pathway proteins suggests cell cycle arrest rather than cytotoxicity after WNT974 treatment. QPCR indicated that RSPO fusions are not prevalent in ovarian cancer tissues or ascites. However, higher PORCN expression correlated to sensitivity to WNT974 (P=0.0073). In conclusion, WNT974 produces cytostatic effects in patient ascites cells with primary ovarian cancer through inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The combination of WNT974 and carboplatin induces cytotoxicity plus cell cycle arrest in a higher percentage of ascites samples than with single drug treatment. RSPO fusions do not contribute to WNT974 sensitivity; however, higher PORCN expression indicates increased WNT974 sensitivity.

  17. Docetaxel-albumin conjugates: preparation, in vitro evaluation and biodistribution studies.

    PubMed

    Esmaeili, Farnaz; Dinarvand, Rassoul; Ghahremani, Mohammad Hossein; Amini, Mohsen; Rouhani, Hasti; Sepehri, Nima; Ostad, Seyed Nasser; Atyabi, Fatemeh

    2009-08-01

    Docetaxel (DTX) is one of the most active chemotherapeutic agents for treating metastatic breast cancer. Its aqueous solubility is very low, hence the available formulation of DTX for clinical use consists of high concentrations of tween80, which has been associated with several hypersensitivity reactions. To reduce the systemic toxicity of DTX as well as to avoid the use of tween80, in this study DTX was chemically conjugated with human serum albumin via a succinic spacer. A high-performance liquid chromatography method was developed for the determination of DTX-albumin conjugate. T47D and SKOV3 cells were used for the evaluation of the in vitro cytotoxicity of the conjugate by MTT assay. Studies were then done on balb/c mice to elucidate the tissue distribution of conjugates after intravenous administration. The albumin-conjugated formulation of DTX with the particle size of 90-110 nm showed enhanced solubility and in vivo characteristics and significantly higher cytotoxicity against tumor cells, for example, IC50 of 6.30 +/- 0.73 nM for T47D cell line compared to free DTX with IC50 of 39.4 +/- 1.75 nM. Conjugation also maintained DTX plasma level at 16.19% up to 2 h after injection compared with 2.51% for Taxotere, hence increasing the chance of nanoparticles uptake by tumor cells. Copyright 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  18. Comparison of vitamins K1, K2 and K3 effects on growth of rat glioma and human glioblastoma multiforme cells in vitro.

    PubMed

    Oztopçu, Pinar; Kabadere, Selda; Mercangoz, Ayşe; Uyar, Ruhi

    2004-09-01

    Glioblastoma multiforme is characterized as highly invasive and rapidly growing astrocytomas, and scientists have sought for efficient treatment against malignant gliomas for a long time. Therefore, we compared the respond of rat glioma (C6) and glioblastoma multiforme cells derived from two patients to vitamins K1, K2 and K3. The cells were exposed to 100, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 microM of vitamins K1 and K2, and 1, 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100 microM of vitamin K3 for 24 hours in an incubator atmosphere of 5% CO2, 37 degrees C and 100% humidity. Cell viability was estimated by MTT assay. Vitamin K1 showed no growth effect on all the glioma cells examined. Vitamin K2 did not cause any change in number of C6, however induced growth inhibition in a dose-dependent manner on glioblastoma multiforme. The IC50 values of vitamin K2 were 960 microM and 970 microM for glioblastoma multiforme, respectively. Vitamin K3 had also growth inhibitory effect in a dose-dependent manner on both C6 and glioblastoma multiforme. The IC50 values were 41 microM, 24 microM and 23 microM for vitamin K3, respectively. We concluded that vitamin K3 is more effective than vitamin K2 for inhibition of cancer cell growth, and might have an alternative value as an anticancer drug against glioblastoma multiforme.

  19. Paris Saponin I Sensitizes Gastric Cancer Cell Lines to Cisplatin via Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis.

    PubMed

    Song, Shuichuan; Du, Leiwen; Jiang, Hao; Zhu, Xinhai; Li, Jinhui; Xu, Ji

    2016-10-18

    BACKGROUND Dose-related toxicity is the major restriction of cisplatin and cisplatin-combination chemotherapy, and is a challenge for advanced gastric cancer treatment. We explored the possibility of using Paris saponin I as an agent to sensitize gastric cancer cells to cisplatin, and examined the underlying mechanism. MATERIAL AND METHODS Growth inhibition was detected by MTT assay. The cell cycle and apoptosis were detected using flow cytometry and Annexin V/PI staining. The P21waf1/cip1, Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 protein expression were detected using Western blot analysis. RESULTS The results revealed that PSI sensitized gastric cancer cells to cisplatin, with low toxicity. The IC50 value of cisplatin in SGC-7901 cell lines was decreased when combined with PSI. PSI promoted cisplatin-induced G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis in a cisplatin concentration-dependent manner. Bcl-2 protein expression decreased, but Bax, caspase-3, and P21waf1/cip1 protein expression increased with PSI treatment. CONCLUSIONS The underlying mechanism of Paris saponin I may be related to targeting the apoptosis pathway and cell cycle blocking, which suggests that PSI is a potential therapeutic sensitizer for cisplatin in treating gastric cancer.

  20. Selectively Targeting T- and B-Cell Lymphomas: A Benzothiazole Antagonist of α4β1 Integrin

    PubMed Central

    Carpenter, Richard D.; Andrei, Mirela; Aina, Olulanu H.; Lau, Edmond Y.; Lightstone, Felice C.; Liu, Ruiwu; Lam, Kit S.; Kurth, Mark J.

    2011-01-01

    Current cancer chemotherapeutic agents clinically deployed today are designed to be indiscriminately cytotoxic, however achieving selective targeting of cancer malignancies would allow for improved diagnostic and chemotherapeutic tools. Integrin α4β1, a heterodimeric cell surface receptor, is believed to have a relaxed conformation in normal cells and an active conformation in cancerous cells, specifically T- and B-cell lymphomas. This highly attractive yet poorly understood receptor has been selectively targeted with the bisaryl urea peptidomimetic antagonist 1. However, concerns regarding its preliminary pharmacokinetic (PK) profile provided an impetus to change the pharmacophore from a bisaryl urea to a 2-arylaminobenzothiazole moiety, resulting in an analog with improved physicochemical properties, solubility and kidney:tumor ratio while maintaining potency (6; IC50 = 53 pM). The results presented herein utilized heterocyclic and solid-phase chemistry, cell adhesion assay, and in vivo optical imaging using the cyanine dye Cy5.5 conjugate. PMID:19072684

  1. Antibacterial, antibiofilm and cytotoxic effects of Nigella sativa essential oil coated gold nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Manju, Sivalingam; Malaikozhundan, Balasubramanian; Vijayakumar, Sekar; Shanthi, Sathappan; Jaishabanu, Ameeramja; Ekambaram, Perumal; Vaseeharan, Baskaralingam

    2016-02-01

    This study reports the biological synthesis of gold nanoparticles using essential oil of Nigella sativa (NsEO-AuNPs). The synthesized NsEO-AuNPs were characterized by UV-visible spectra, X-ray diffraction (XRD), FTIR and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). UV-vis spectra of NsEO-AuNPs showed strong absorption peak at 540 nm. The X-ray diffraction analysis revealed crystalline nature of nanoparticle with distinctive facets (111, 200, 220 and 311 planes) of NsEO-AuNPs. The FTIR spectra recorded peaks at 3388, 2842, 1685, 1607, 1391 and 1018 cm(-1). TEM studies showed the spherical shape of nanoparticles and the particle size ranges between 15.6 and 28.4 nm. The antibacterial activity of NsEO-AuNPs was greater against Gram positive Staphylococcus aureus MTCC 9542 (16 mm) than Gram negative Vibrio harveyi MTCC 7771 (5 mm) at the concentration of 10 μg ml(-1). NsEO-AuNPs effectively inhibited the biofilm formation of S. aureus and V. harveyi by decreasing the hydrophobicity index (78% and 46% respectively). The in-vitro anti-lung cancer activity confirmed by MTT assay on the cell line of A549 carcinoma cells showed IC50 values of bulk Au at 87.2 μg ml(-1), N. sativa essential oil at 64.15 μg ml(-1) and NsEO-AuNPs at 28.37 μg ml(-1). The IC50 value showed that NsEO-AuNPs was highly effective in inhibiting the A549 lung cancer cells compared to bulk Au and N. sativa essential oil. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. AshwaMAX and Withaferin A inhibits gliomas in cellular and murine orthotopic models

    PubMed Central

    Pohling, Christoph; Natarajan, Arutselvan; Witney, Timothy H.; Kaur, Jasdeep; Xu, Lingyun; Gowrishankar, Gayatri; D’Souza, Aloma L; Murty, Surya; Schick, Sophie; Chen, Liyin; Wu, Nicholas; Khaw, Phoo; Mischel, Paul; Abbasi, Taher; Usmani, Shahabuddin; Mallick, Parag

    2017-01-01

    Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive, malignant cancer Johnson and O’Neill (J Neurooncol 107: 359–364, 2012). An extract from the winter cherry plant (Withania somnifera), AshwaMAX, is concentrated (4.3 %) for Withaferin A; a steroidal lactone that inhibits cancer cells Vanden Berghe et al. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomark Prev 23: 1985–1996, 2014). We hypothesized that AshwaMAX could treat GBM and that bioluminescence imaging (BLI) could track oral therapy in orthotopic murine models of glioblastoma. Human parietal-cortical glioblastoma cells (GBM2, GBM39) were isolated from primary tumors while U87-MG was obtained commercially. GBM2 was transduced with lentiviral vectors that express Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP)/firefly luciferase fusion proteins. Mutational, expression and proliferative status of GBMs were studied. Intracranial xenografts of glioblastomas were grown in the right frontal regions of female, nude mice (n = 3–5 per experiment). Tumor growth was followed through BLI. Neurosphere cultures (U87-MG, GBM2 and GBM39) were inhibited by AshwaMAX at IC50 of 1.4, 0.19 and 0.22 μM equivalent respectively and by Withaferin A with IC50 of 0.31, 0.28 and 0.25 μM respectively. Oral gavage, every other day, of AshwaMAX (40 mg/kg per day) significantly reduced bioluminescence signal (n = 3 mice, p < 0.02, four parameter non-linear regression analysis) in preclinical models. After 30 days of treatment, bioluminescent signal increased suggesting onset of resistance. BLI signal for control, vehicle-treated mice increased and then plateaued. Bioluminescent imaging revealed diffuse growth of GBM2 xenografts. With AshwaMAX, GBM neurospheres collapsed at nanomolar concentrations. Oral treatment studies on murine models confirmed that AshwaMAX is effective against orthotopic GBM. AshwaMAX is thus a promising candidate for future clinical translation in patients with GBM. PMID:26650066

  3. pH-Dependent doxorubicin release from terpolymer of starch, polymethacrylic acid and polysorbate 80 nanoparticles for overcoming multi-drug resistance in human breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Shalviri, Alireza; Raval, Gaurav; Prasad, Preethy; Chan, Carol; Liu, Qiang; Heerklotz, Heiko; Rauth, Andrew Michael; Wu, Xiao Yu

    2012-11-01

    This work investigated the capability of a new nanoparticulate system, based on terpolymer of starch, polymethacrylic acid and polysorbate 80, to load and release doxorubicin (Dox) as a function of pH and to evaluate the anticancer activity of Dox-loaded nanoparticles (Dox-NPs) to overcome multidrug resistance (MDR) in human breast cancer cells in vitro. The Dox-NPs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of the Dox-loaded nanoparticles were investigated using fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, and a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) (MTT) assay. The nanoparticles were able to load up to 49.7±0.3% of Dox with a high loading efficiency of 99.9±0.1%, while maintaining good colloidal stability. The nanoparticles released Dox at a higher rate at acidic pH attributable to weaker Dox-polymer molecular interactions evidenced by ITC. The Dox-NPs were taken up by the cancer cells in vitro and significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity of Dox against human MDR1 cells with up to a 20-fold decrease in the IC50 values. The results suggest that the new terpolymeric nanoparticles are a promising vehicle for the controlled delivery of Dox for treatment of drug resistant breast cancer. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Selection of G1-PABA as a GPER1 ligand compared to phenol red via a ligand-based virtual screening coupled to molecular dynamics simulations and its anti-proliferative effects on breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Jose, Correa-Basurto; Trujillo-Ferrara, Jose G; Irene, Mendoza-Lujambio; Alfonso, Duenas-Gonzalez; Alma, Chavez-Blanco; Marlet, Martinez-Archundia; Bello, M; Ruben, Garcia Sanchez Jose; Jonathan, Fragoso-Vazquez Manuel; David, Mendez-Luna; Berenice, Prestegui-Martel; Alberto, Martinez-Munoz

    2018-05-10

    Recent reports have demonstrated the role of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER1) on the growth and proliferation of breast cancer cells. The coupling of GPER1 to estrogen, tamoxifen or fulvestrant triggers cellular signaling pathways (PI3K and ERK) related to cell proliferation. In an effort to develop new therapeutic strategies against breast cancer, we performed an in silico study to explore the binding pose of a set of designed G15 and G1 analogue compounds, including phenol red. First, we included a carboxyl group instead of the acetyl group from G1 to form amides with several moieties to increase the affinity for GPER1. Then, all the target compounds were submitted to an in silico ADMET study. Then, the ligands were coupled to GPER1 using ligand-based virtual screening to finally achieve molecular dynamics simulations of the best molecule on GPER1, as well as of phenol red, to explore its recognition properties. According to the in silico ADMET and docking studies, the best molecule was named G1-PABA ((3aS,4R,9bR)-4-(6-bromobenzo[d][1,3]dioxol-5-yl)-3a,4,5,9b-tetrahydro-3H-cyclopenta[c]quinoline-8-carboxylic acid). It was synthesized and assayed in vitro in breast cancer (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) and normal (MCF-10A) cell lines. Experimental assays showed that the target compound was able to decrease cell proliferation, showing IC50 values of 15.93 M, 52.92 M and 32.45 M in the MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and MCF-10A cell lines, respectively, after 72 h of treatment. Interestingly, the target compound showed better IC50 values without phenol red, suggesting that phenol red could interfere with the G1-PABA action at GPER, which is present in MCF-7 cells according to PCR studies and explains the cell proliferation effects. In conclusion, a concentration-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation occurred with G1-PABA in the assayed cell lines and could be due to its action on GPER1. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  5. Auranofin induces apoptosis and necrosis in HeLa cells via oxidative stress and glutathione depletion.

    PubMed

    You, Bo Ra; Shin, Hye Rim; Han, Bo Ram; Kim, Suhn Hee; Park, Woo Hyun

    2015-02-01

    Auranofin (Au), an inhibitor of thioredoxin reductase, is a known anti‑cancer drug. In the present study, the anti‑growth effect of Au on HeLa cervical cancer cells was examined in association with levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH). Au inhibited the growth of HeLa cells with an IC50 of ~2 µM at 24 h. This agent induced apoptosis and necrosis, accompanied by the cleavage of poly (ADP‑ribose) polymerase and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. The pan‑caspase inhibitor, benzyloxycarbonyl‑Val‑Ala‑Asp‑fluoromethylketone, prevented apoptotic cell death and each of the assessed caspase inhibitors inhibited necrotic cell death induced by Au. With respect to the levels of ROS and GSH, Au increased intracellular O2•- in the HeLa cells and induced GSH depletion. The pan‑caspase inhibitor reduced the levels of O2•- and GSH depletion in Au‑treated HeLa cells. The antioxidant, N‑acetyl cysteine, not only attenuated apoptosis and necrosis in the Au‑treated HeLa cells, but also decreased the levels of O2•- and GSH depletion in the cells. By contrast, L‑buthionine sulfoximine, a GSH synthesis inhibitor, intensified cell death O2•- and GSH depletion in the Au‑treated HeLa cells. In conclusion, Au induced apoptosis and necrosis in HeLa cells via the induction of oxidative stress and the depletion of GSH.

  6. Kalkipyrone B, a marine cyanobacterial γ-pyrone possessing cytotoxic and anti-fungal activities

    PubMed Central

    Bertin, Matthew J; Demirkiran, Ozlem; Navarro, Gabriel; Moss, Nathan A; Lee, John; Goldgof, Gregory M; Vigil, Edgar; Winzeler, Elizabeth A; Valeriote, Fred A; Gerwick, William H

    2015-01-01

    Bioassay-guided fractionation of two marine cyanobacterial extracts using the H-460 human lung cancer cell line and the OVC-5 human ovarian cancer cell line led to the isolation of three related α-methoxy-β, β’-dimethyl-γ-pyrones each containing a modified alkyl chain, one of which was identified as the previously reported kalkipyrone and designated kalkipyrone A. The second compound was an analog designated kalkipyrone B. The third was identified as the recently reported yoshipyrone A, also isolated from a marine cyanobacterium. Kalkipyrone A and B were obtained from a field-collection of the cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya sp. from Fagasa Bay, American Samoa, while yoshipyrone A was isolated from a field-collection of cyanobacteria (cf. Schizothrix sp.) from Panama. One-dimensional and two-dimensional NMR experiments were used to determine the overall structures and relative configurations of the kalkipyrones, and the absolute configuration of kalkipyrone B was determined by 1H NMR analysis of diastereomeric Mosher’s esters. Kalkipyrone A showed good cytotoxicity to H-460 human lung cancer cells (EC50 = 0.9 µM), w M), while kalkipyrone B and yoshipyrone A were less active (EC50 = 9.0 µM and > 10 µM, respectively). Both kalkipyrone A and B showed moderate toxicity to Saccharomyces cerevisiae ABC16-Monster strain (IC50 = 14.6 and 13.4 µM, respectively), whereas yoshipyrone A was of low toxicity to this yeast strain (IC50 = 63.8 µM). PMID:26632528

  7. Geraniol and geranyl acetate induce potent anticancer effects in colon cancer Colo-205 cells by inducing apoptosis, DNA damage and cell cycle arrest.

    PubMed

    Qi, Fei; Yan, Qiang; Zheng, Zhaozheng; Liu, Jian; Chen, Yan; Zhang, Guiyang

    2018-01-01

    Colon cancer ranks second in mortality among all human malignancies, creating thus a need for exploration of novel molecules that would prove effective, cost-effective and with lower toxicity. In the recent past monoterpenes have gained tremendous attention for their anticancer activity. In the present study we evaluated the anticancer effects of two important monoterpenes, geraniol and geranyl acetate against colo-205 cancer cells. The antiproliferative activity was determined by MTT assay. Apoptosis was assessed by DAPI staining and DNA damage was checked by comet assay. The cell cycle analysis was carried out by flow cytometry and protein expression was examined by western blotting. The results showed that both geraniol and geranyl acetate exhibited significant anticancer activity against colo-205 cancer cell line with IC50 values of 20 and 30 μM respectively. To find out the underlying mechanism, DAPI staining was carried out and it was observed that both the monoterpenes, geraniol and geranyl acetate, induced apoptosis in colo-205 cells. The apoptosis was also associated with upregulation of Bax and downregulation of Bcl-2 expressions, indicative of mitochondrial apoptosis. Moreover, these two monoterpenes could trigger DNA damage and G2/M cell cycle arrest in colo-205 cells. Taken together, we propose that geraniol and geranyl acetate may prove to be important lead molecular candidates for the treatment of colon cancer. Their anticancer activity can be attributed to the ability to trigger apoptosis, DNA damage and cell cycle arrest.

  8. Role of reactive oxygen species in the synergistic cytotoxicity of safingol-based combination regimens with conventional chemotherapeutics

    PubMed Central

    Ling, Leong-Uung; Tan, Kuan-Boone; Chiu, Gigi N.C.

    2011-01-01

    Exploiting the sensitivity of cancer cells to reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been suggested as a strategy for the selective elimination of cancer cells. In this study, the ROS-generating sphingolipid safingol was combined with various conventional chemotherapeutics, and the potential synergism of the safingol-based combination regimen was assessed using a panel of cancer cell lines. The IC50 values of safingol using as a single agent were 1.4-6.3 µM, which are concentrations that are clinically achievable. While synergism was dependent on the drug molar ratios, a 4:1 molar ratio of safingol to conventional chemotherapeutics exhibited a moderate to strong synergism in MDA-MB-231, JIMT-1, SKOV-3, U937 and KB cells, with combination indices ranging from 0.07 to 0.77. Furthermore, the addition of safingol may reduce the concentrations of conventional chemotherapeutics required to achieve 90% cell-kill by 1 to >3 log-folds. A significant reduction in the cytotoxicity of safingol-based drug combinations was observed in the presence of N-acetyl-L-cysteine, suggesting that ROS is an important factor in mediating the observed synergism. Taken together, our results suggest that the use of safingol-based drug combinations is promising as an effective strategy for cancer therapy and should be investigated. PMID:22866148

  9. Cytotoxic hydrogen bridged ruthenium quinaldamide complexes showing induced cancer cell death by apoptosis.

    PubMed

    Lord, Rianne M; Allison, Simon J; Rafferty, Karen; Ghandhi, Laura; Pask, Christopher M; McGowan, Patrick C

    2016-08-16

    This report presents the first known p-cymene ruthenium quinaldamide complexes which are stabilised by a hydrogen-bridging atom, [{(p-cym)Ru(II)X(N,N)}{H(+)}{(N,N)XRu(II)(p-cym)}][PF6] (N,N = functionalised quinaldamide and X = Cl or Br). These complexes are formed by a reaction of [p-cymRu(μ-X)2]2 with a functionalised quinaldamide ligand. When filtered over NH4PF6, and under aerobic conditions the equilibrium of NH4PF6 ⇔ NH3 + HPF6 enables incorporation of HPF6 and the stabilisation of two monomeric ruthenium complexes by a bridging H(+), which are counter-balanced by a PF6 counterion. X-ray crystallographic analysis is presented for six new structures with OO distances of 2.420(4)-2.448(15) Å, which is significant for strong hydrogen bonds. Chemosensitivity studies against HCT116, A2780 and cisplatin-resistant A2780cis human cancer cells showed the ruthenium complexes with a bromide ancillary ligand to be more potent than those with a chloride ligand. The 4'-fluoro compounds show a reduction in potency for both chloride and bromide complexes against all cell lines, but an increase in selectivity towards cancer cells compared to non-cancer ARPE-19 cells, with a selectivity index >1. Mechanistic studies showed a clear correlation between IC50 values and induction of cell death by apoptosis.

  10. Glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) directly influences platinum drug chemosensitivity in ovarian tumour cell lines.

    PubMed

    Sawers, L; Ferguson, M J; Ihrig, B R; Young, H C; Chakravarty, P; Wolf, C R; Smith, G

    2014-09-09

    Chemotherapy response in ovarian cancer patients is frequently compromised by drug resistance, possibly due to altered drug metabolism. Platinum drugs are metabolised by glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1), which is abundantly, but variably expressed in ovarian tumours. We have created novel ovarian tumour cell line models to investigate the extent to which differential GSTP1 expression influences chemosensitivity. Glutathione S-transferase P1 was stably deleted in A2780 and expression significantly reduced in cisplatin-resistant A2780DPP cells using Mission shRNA constructs, and MTT assays used to compare chemosensitivity to chemotherapy drugs used to treat ovarian cancer. Differentially expressed genes in GSTP1 knockdown cells were identified by Illumina HT-12 expression arrays and qRT-PCR analysis, and altered pathways predicted by MetaCore (GeneGo) analysis. Cell cycle changes were assessed by FACS analysis of PI-labelled cells and invasion and migration compared in quantitative Boyden chamber-based assays. Glutathione S-transferase P1 knockdown selectively influenced cisplatin and carboplatin chemosensitivity (2.3- and 4.83-fold change in IC50, respectively). Cell cycle progression was unaffected, but cell invasion and migration was significantly reduced. We identified several novel GSTP1 target genes and candidate platinum chemotherapy response biomarkers. Glutathione S-transferase P1 has an important role in cisplatin and carboplatin metabolism in ovarian cancer cells. Inter-tumour differences in GSTP1 expression may therefore influence response to platinum-based chemotherapy in ovarian cancer patients.

  11. Glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) directly influences platinum drug chemosensitivity in ovarian tumour cell lines

    PubMed Central

    Sawers, L; Ferguson, M J; Ihrig, B R; Young, H C; Chakravarty, P; Wolf, C R; Smith, G

    2014-01-01

    Background: Chemotherapy response in ovarian cancer patients is frequently compromised by drug resistance, possibly due to altered drug metabolism. Platinum drugs are metabolised by glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1), which is abundantly, but variably expressed in ovarian tumours. We have created novel ovarian tumour cell line models to investigate the extent to which differential GSTP1 expression influences chemosensitivity. Methods: Glutathione S-transferase P1 was stably deleted in A2780 and expression significantly reduced in cisplatin-resistant A2780DPP cells using Mission shRNA constructs, and MTT assays used to compare chemosensitivity to chemotherapy drugs used to treat ovarian cancer. Differentially expressed genes in GSTP1 knockdown cells were identified by Illumina HT-12 expression arrays and qRT–PCR analysis, and altered pathways predicted by MetaCore (GeneGo) analysis. Cell cycle changes were assessed by FACS analysis of PI-labelled cells and invasion and migration compared in quantitative Boyden chamber-based assays. Results: Glutathione S-transferase P1 knockdown selectively influenced cisplatin and carboplatin chemosensitivity (2.3- and 4.83-fold change in IC50, respectively). Cell cycle progression was unaffected, but cell invasion and migration was significantly reduced. We identified several novel GSTP1 target genes and candidate platinum chemotherapy response biomarkers. Conclusions: Glutathione S-transferase P1 has an important role in cisplatin and carboplatin metabolism in ovarian cancer cells. Inter-tumour differences in GSTP1 expression may therefore influence response to platinum-based chemotherapy in ovarian cancer patients. PMID:25010864

  12. Chemical composition and in vitro antitrypanosomal activity of fractions of essential oil from Cymbopogon nardus L.

    PubMed

    Muhd Haffiz, J; Norhayati, I; Getha, K; Nor Azah, M A; Mohd Ilham, A; Lili Sahira, H; Roshan Jahn, M S; Muhd Syamil, A

    2013-03-01

    Essential oil from Cymbopogon nardus was evaluated for activity against Trypanosoma brucei brucei BS221 (IC50 = 0.31 ± 0.03 μg/mL) and cytotoxic effect on normal kidney (Vero) cells (IC50 = >100 μg/mL). The crude essential oil was subjected to various chromatography techniques afforded active sub fractions with antitrypanosomal activity; F4 (IC50 = 0.61 ± 0.06 μg/mL), F6 (IC50= 0.73 ± 0.33 μg/mL), F7 (IC50 = 1.15 ± 0 μg/mL) and F8 (IC50 = 1.11 ± 0.01 μg/mL). These active fractions did not exhibit any toxic effects against Vero cell lines and the chemical profiles investigation indicated presence of α-and γ-eudesmol, elemol, α-cadinol and eugenol by GC/MS analysis.

  13. Antiproliferative activity and induction of apoptotic by ethanolic extract of Alpinia galanga rhizhome in human breast carcinoma cell line

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background We investigated the potential of galangal rhizomes to induce cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in the cultured human breast carcinoma cell line, (MCF-7) in compare with the non-malignant (MRC-5) cells. Methods Both cells were cultured in DMEM medium and treated with galangal rhizomes for three consecutive days. The percentage of apoptotic cells was determined by flow cytometry using Annexin-V fluorescein isothiocyanate. Results The results showed that the ethanolic extract of galangal rhizomes decreased cell viability in the malignant cells as a concentration- and time- dependent manner. The IC50 values against MCF-7 were determined at 400.0 ± 11.7 and 170.0 ± 5.9 μg/ml after 48 and 72 h respectively. The morphology of MCF-7 cells treated with the ethanolic extract confirmed the cell proliferation assay results. Alpinia galanga induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells, as determined by flow cytometry. Conclusions We concluded that the extract of Alpinia galanga exerts pro-apoptotic effects in a breast cancer-derived cell line and could be considered as a potential chemotherapeutic agent in breast cancer. PMID:24935101

  14. High Performance Liquid Chromatography-mass Spectrometry Analysis of High Antioxidant Australian Fruits with Antiproliferative Activity Against Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Sirdaarta, Joseph; Maen, Anton; Rayan, Paran; Matthews, Ben; Cock, Ian Edwin

    2016-05-01

    High antioxidant capacities have been linked to the treatment and prevention of several cancers. Recent reports have identified several native Australian fruits with high antioxidant capacities. Despite this, several of these species are yet to be tested for anticancer activity. Solvent extracts prepared from high antioxidant native Australian fruits were analyzed for antioxidant capacity by the di (phenyl)-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl) iminoazanium free radical scavenging assay. Antiproliferative activities against CaCo2 and HeLa cancer cells were determined by a multicellular tumor spheroid-based cell proliferation assay. Toxicity was determined by Artemia franciscana bioassay. Methanolic extracts of all plant species displayed high antioxidant contents (equivalent to approximately 7-16 mg of vitamin C per gram of fruit extracted). Most aqueous extracts also contained relatively high antioxidant capacities. In contrast, the ethyl acetate, chloroform, and hexane extracts of most species (except lemon aspen and bush tomato) had lower antioxidant contents (below 1.5 mg of vitamin C equivalents per gram of plant material extracted). The antioxidant contents correlated with the ability of the extracts to inhibit proliferation of CaCo2 and HeLa cancer cell lines. The high antioxidant methanolic extracts of all species were potent inhibitors of cell proliferation. The methanolic lemon aspen extract was particularly effective, with IC50 values of 480 and 769 μg/mL against HeLa and CaCo2 cells, respectively. In contrast, the lower antioxidant ethyl acetate and hexane extracts (except the lemon aspen ethyl acetate extract) generally did not inhibit cancer cell proliferation or inhibited to only a minor degree. Indeed, most of the ethyl acetate and hexane extracts induced potent cell proliferation. The native tamarind ethyl acetate extract displayed low-moderate toxicity in the A. franciscana bioassay (LC50 values below 1000 μg/mL). All other extracts were nontoxic. A total of 145 unique mass signals were detected in the lemon aspen methanolic and aqueous extracts by nonbiased high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Of these, 20 compounds were identified as being of particular interest due to their reported antioxidant and/or anticancer activities. The lack of toxicity and antiproliferative activity of the high antioxidant plant extracts against HeLa and CaCo2 cancer cell lines indicates their potential in the treatment and prevention of some cancers. Australian fruit extracts with high antioxidant contents were potent inhibitors of CaCo2 and HeLa carcinoma cell proliferationMethanolic lemon aspen extract was particularly potent, with IC50 values of 480 μg/mL (HeLa) and 769 μg/mL (CaCo2)High-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-quadrupole time-of-flight analysis highlighted and putatively identified 20 compounds in the antiproliferative lemon aspen extractsIn contrast, lower antioxidant content extracts stimulated carcinoma cell proliferationAll extracts with antiproliferative activity were nontoxic in the Artemia nauplii assay. Abbreviations used: DPPH: di (phenyl)- (2,4,6-trinitrophenyl) iminoazanium, HPLC: High-performance liquid chromatography, IC50: The concentration required to inhibit by 50%, LC50: The concentration required to achieve 50% mortality, MS: Mass spectrometry.

  15. Synthesis, molecular properties prediction and cytotoxic screening of 3-(2-aryl-2-oxoethyl)isobenzofuran-1(3H)-ones.

    PubMed

    da Silva Maia, Angélica Faleiros; Siqueira, Raoni Pais; de Oliveira, Fabrício Marques; Ferreira, Joana Gasperazzo; da Silva, Silma Francielle; Caiuby, Clarice Alves Dale; de Oliveira, Leandro Licursi; de Paula, Sérgio Oliveira; Souza, Rafael Aparecido Carvalho; Guilardi, Silvana; Bressan, Gustavo Costa; Teixeira, Róbson Ricardo

    2016-06-15

    In the present investigation, a collection of nineteen 3-(2-aryl-2-oxoethyl)isobenzofuran-1(3H)-ones was synthesized and screened for their cytotoxic activity against a panel of three leukemia cancer cell lines. The compounds were prepared via ZrOCl2·8H2O catalyzed condensation reactions between phthalaldehydic acid and different acetophenones. The reactions were carried out free of solvent and the isobenzofuran-1(3H)-ones were obtained in good yields (80-92%). The identities of the synthesized compounds were confirmed upon IR and NMR ((1)H and (13)C) spectroscopy as well as high resolution mass spectrometry analyses. Structures of compounds 1, 4 and 16 were also investigated by X-ray analysis. The synthesized compounds were submitted to in vitro bioassays against HL-60, K562 and NALM6 cancer cell lines using MTT cytotoxicity assay. After 48h of treatment, twelve derivatives were able to reduce cell viability and presented IC50 values equal to or below 20μmolL(-1) against at least one of the evaluated lineages. The most active compound corresponded to 3-(3-methylphenyl-2-oxoethyl)isobenzofuran-1(3H)-one (18) (IC50 values obtained for HL-60, K562 and NALM6 were, respectively, 13.5μmolL(-1), 8.83μmolL(-1), and 5.24μmolL(-1)). In addition, compound 18 was capable of triggering apoptosis on NALM6 cells. All isobenzofuranones herein evaluated did not present cytotoxicity on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), suggesting selective cytotoxic effect on leukemic cells. A computational study allowed prediction of pharmacokinetics and drug-likeness properties of the synthesized compounds. DFT calculations were performed to obtain the energy values of HOMO, LUMO, and dipole moments of isobenzofuranones. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. A comparison between PLGA-PEG and NIPAAm-MAA nanocarriers in curcumin delivery for hTERT silencing in lung cancer cell line.

    PubMed

    Roointan, A; Sharifi-Rad, M; Badrzadeh, F; Sharifi-Rad, J

    2016-08-29

    Lung cancer is the most common cancer among men. Since the main reason of cancer cells immortality is telomerase activity, targeting of such enzyme can be a promising approach in cancer therapy. Curcumin is a safe and efficient anticancer agent in this context, but its applications in cancer therapy are limited because of its hydrophobic structure and low solubility in water. Today, using nanocarriers for delivery of such anticancer agents is a well performed method. Here, we developed and compared the efficiency of two nanocarriers (PLGA-PEG and NIPAAm-MAA) in delivery of curcumin and also in levels of hTERT silencing in lung cancer cell line (calu-6). Scanning electron microscopy, MTT assays and real-time PCR were used for imaging, cytotoxicity testing and measuring the expression levels of hTERT after treatment of cells with different concentrations of free curcumin and curcumin loaded nanocarriers. The MTT results demonstrated that the IC50 values of curcumin loaded nanocarriers were in lower concentrations than free curcumin. The hTERT expression levels were decreased by curcumin loaded PLGA-PEG more than curcumin loaded NIPAAm-MAA and free curcumin. Our results showed that the curcumin loaded PLGA-PEG can be a useful nano based carrier for delivery of anti-cancer agents such as curcumin to fight lung cancer.

  17. Biotransformation of a potent anabolic steroid, mibolerone, with Cunninghamella blakesleeana, C. echinulata, and Macrophomina phaseolina, and biological activity evaluation of its metabolites.

    PubMed

    Siddiqui, Mahwish; Ahmad, Malik Shoaib; Wahab, Atia-Tul-; Yousuf, Sammer; Fatima, Narjis; Naveed Shaikh, Nimra; Rahman, Atta-Ur-; Choudhary, M Iqbal

    2017-01-01

    Seven metabolites were obtained from the microbial transformation of anabolic-androgenic steroid mibolerone (1) with Cunninghamella blakesleeana, C. echinulata, and Macrophomina phaseolina. Their structures were determined as 10β,17β-dihydroxy-7α,17α-dimethylestr-4-en-3-one (2), 6β,17β-dihydroxy-7α,17α-dimethylestr-4-en-3-one (3), 6β,10β,17β-trihydroxy-7α,17α-dimethylestr-4-en-3-one (4), 11β,17β-dihydroxy-(20-hydroxymethyl)-7α,17α-dimethylestr-4-en-3-one (5), 1α,17β-dihydroxy-7α,17α-dimethylestr-4-en-3-one (6), 1α,11β,17β-trihydroxy-7α,17α-dimethylestr-4-en-3-one (7), and 11β,17β-dihydroxy-7α,17α-dimethylestr-4-en-3-one (8), on the basis of spectroscopic studies. All metabolites, except 8, were identified as new compounds. This study indicates that C. blakesleeana, and C. echinulata are able to catalyze hydroxylation at allylic positions, while M. phaseolina can catalyze hydroxylation of CH2 and CH3 groups of substrate 1. Mibolerone (1) was found to be a moderate inhibitor of β-glucuronidase enzyme (IC50 = 42.98 ± 1.24 μM) during random biological screening, while its metabolites 2-4, and 8 were found to be inactive. Mibolerone (1) was also found to be significantly active against Leishmania major promastigotes (IC50 = 29.64 ± 0.88 μM). Its transformed products 3 (IC50 = 79.09 ± 0.06 μM), and 8 (IC50 = 70.09 ± 0.05 μM) showed a weak leishmanicidal activity, while 2 and 4 were found to be inactive. In addition, substrate 1 (IC50 = 35.7 ± 4.46 μM), and its metabolite 8 (IC50 = 34.16 ± 5.3 μM) exhibited potent cytotoxicity against HeLa cancer cell line (human cervical carcinoma). Metabolite 2 (IC50 = 46.5 ± 5.4 μM) also showed a significant cytotoxicity, while 3 (IC50 = 107.8 ± 4.0 μM) and 4 (IC50 = 152.5 ± 2.15 μM) showed weak cytotoxicity against HeLa cancer cell line. Compound 1 (IC50 = 46.3 ± 11.7 μM), and its transformed products 2 (IC50 = 43.3 ± 7.7 μM), 3 (IC50 = 65.6 ± 2.5 μM), and 4 (IC50 = 89.4 ± 2.7 μM) were also found to be moderately toxic to 3T3 cell line (mouse fibroblast). Interestingly, metabolite 8 showed no cytotoxicity against 3T3 cell line. Compounds 1-4, and 8 were also evaluated for inhibition of tyrosinase, carbonic anhydrase, and α-glucosidase enzymes, and all were found to be inactive.

  18. Auranofin-mediated inhibition of PI3K/AKT/mTOR axis and anticancer activity in non-small cell lung cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    Li, Hongyu; Hu, Jing; Wu, Shuhong; Wang, Li; Cao, Xiaobo; Zhang, Xiaoshan; Dai, Bingbing; Cao, Mengru; Shao, Ruping; Zhang, Ran; Majidi, Mourad; Ji, Lin; Heymach, John V.; Wang, Michael; Pan, Shiyang; Minna, John; Mehran, Reza J.; Swisher, Stephen G.; Roth, Jack A.; Fang, Bingliang

    2016-01-01

    Auranofin, a gold complex that has been used to treat rheumatoid arthritis in clinics and has documented pharmacokinetic and safety profiles in humans, has recently been investigated for its anticancer activity in leukemia and some solid cancers. However, auranofin's single agent activity in lung cancer is not well characterized. To determine whether auranofin has single agent activity in lung cancer, we evaluated auranofin's activity in a panel of 10 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines. Cell viability analysis revealed that auranofin induced growth inhibition in a subset of NSCLC cell lines with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) below 1.0 μM. Treatment with auranofin elicited apoptosis and necroptosis in auranofin-sensitive cell lines. Moreover, the susceptibility of NSCLC cells to auranofin was inversely correlated with TXNRD1 expression in the cells. Transient transfection of the TXNRD1-expressing plasmid in auranofin-sensitive Calu3 cells resulted in partial resistance, indicating that high TXNRD level is one of causal factors for resistance to auranofin. Further mechanistic characterization with proteomic analysis revealed that auranofin inhibits expression and/or phosphorylation of multiple key nodes in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, including S6, 4EBP1, Rictor, p70S6K, mTOR, TSC2, AKT and GSK3. Ectopic expression of TXNRD1 partially reversed auranofin-mediated PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibition, suggesting that TXNRD1 may participate in the regulation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Administration of auranofin to mice with xenograft tumors derived from NSCLC cells significantly suppressed tumor growth without inducing obvious toxic effects. Our results demonstrated feasibility of repurposing auranofin for treatment of lung cancer. PMID:26657290

  19. Modulating lysosomal function through lysosome membrane permeabilization or autophagy suppression restores sensitivity to cisplatin in refractory non-small-cell lung cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    Circu, Magdalena; Cardelli, James; Barr, Martin; O’Byrne, Kenneth; Mills, Glenn

    2017-01-01

    Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Most patients develop resistance to platinum within several months of treatment. We investigated whether triggering lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP) or suppressing autophagy can restore cisplatin susceptibility in lung cancer with acquired chemoresistance. Cisplatin IC50 in A549Pt (parental) and A549cisR (cisplatin resistant) cells was 13 μM and 47 μM, respectively. Following cisplatin exposure, A549cisR cells failed to elicit an apoptotic response. This was manifested by diminished Annexin–V staining, caspase 3 and 9, BAX and BAK activation in resistant but not in parental cells. Chloroquine preferentially promoted LMP in A549cisR cells, revealed by leakage of FITC-dextran into the cytosol as detected by immunofluorescence microscopy. This was confirmed by increased cytosolic cathepsin D signal on Immunoblot. Cell viability of cisplatin-treated A549cisR cells was decreased when co-treated with chloroquine, corresponding to a combination index below 0.8, suggesting synergism between the two drugs. Notably, chloroquine activated the mitochondrial cell death pathway as indicated by increase in caspase 9 activity. Interestingly, inhibition of lysosomal proteases using E64 conferred cytoprotection against cisplatin and chloroquine co-treatment, suggesting that chloroquine-induced cell death occurred in a cathepsin-mediated mechanism. Likewise, blockage of caspases partially rescued A549cisR cells against the cytotoxicity of cisplatin and chloroquine combination. Cisplatin promoted a dose-dependent autophagic flux induction preferentially in A549cisR cells, as evidenced by a surge in LC3-II/α-tubulin following pre-treatment with E64 and increase in p62 degradation. Compared to untreated cells, cisplatin induced an increase in cyto-ID-loaded autophagosomes in A549cisR cells that was further amplified by chloroquine, pointing toward autophagic flux activation by cisplatin. Interestingly, this effect was less pronounced in A549Pt cells. Blocking autophagy by ATG5 depletion using siRNA markedly enhances susceptibility to cisplatin in A549cisR cells. Taken together, our results underscore the utility of targeting lysosomal function in overcoming acquired cisplatin refractoriness in lung cancer. PMID:28945807

  20. Bypassing multidrug resistance in human breast cancer cells with lipid/polymer particle assemblies

    PubMed Central

    Li, Bo; Xu, Hui; Li, Zhen; Yao, Mingfei; Xie, Meng; Shen, Haijun; Shen, Song; Wang, Xinshi; Jin, Yi

    2012-01-01

    Background Multidrug resistance (MDR) mediated by the overexpression of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, such as P-glycoprotein (P-gp), remains one of the major obstacles to effective cancer chemotherapy. In this study, lipid/particle assemblies named LipoParticles (LNPs), consisting of a dimethyldidodecylammonium bromide (DMAB)-modified poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticle core surrounded by a 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) shell, were specially designed for anticancer drugs to bypass MDR in human breast cancer cells that overexpress P-gp. Methods Doxorubicin (DOX), a chemotherapy drug that is a P-gp substrate, was conjugated to PLGA and encapsulated in the self-assembled LNP structure. Physiochemical properties of the DOX-loaded LNPs were characterized in vitro. Cellular uptake, intracellular accumulation, and cytotoxicity were compared in parental Michigan Cancer Foundation (MCF)-7 cells and P-gp-overexpressing, resistant MCF-7/adriamycin (MCF-7/ADR) cells. Results This study found that the DOX formulated in LNPs showed a significantly increased accumulation in the nuclei of drug-resistant cells relative to the free drug, indicating that LNPs could alter intracellular traffic and bypass drug efflux. The cytotoxicity of DOX loaded-LNPs had a 30-fold lower half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value than free DOX in MCF-7/ADR, measured by the colorimetric cell viability (MTT) assay, correlated with the strong nuclear retention of the drug. Conclusion The results show that this core-shell lipid/particle structure could be a promising strategy to bypass MDR. PMID:22275834

  1. Design, synthesis and apoptosis inducing effect of novel (Z)-3-(3'-methoxy-4'-(2-amino-2-oxoethoxy)-benzylidene)indolin-2-ones as potential antitumour agents.

    PubMed

    Senwar, Kishna Ram; Reddy, T Srinivasa; Thummuri, Dinesh; Sharma, Pankaj; Naidu, V G M; Srinivasulu, Gannoju; Shankaraiah, Nagula

    2016-08-08

    A series of new (Z)-3-(3'-methoxy-4'-(2-amino-2-oxoethoxy)benzylidene)indolin-2-one derivatives has been synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against selected human cancer cell lines of prostate (PC-3 and DU-145), breast (BT-549 and MDA-MB-231) and non-tumorigenic prostate epithelial cells (RWPE-1). Among the tested, one of the compounds 4p exhibited potent cytotoxicity selectively on prostate cancer cell lines (PC-3 and DU-145; IC50: 1.89 ± 0.6 and 1.94 ± 0.2 μM, respectively). Further experiments were conducted with 4p on PC-3 cancer cells to study the mechanisms of growth inhibition and apoptosis inducing effect. Treatment of PC-3 cells with test compound 4p resulted in inhibition of cell migration through disorganization of F-actin protein. The flow-cytometry analysis results showed that the compound arrested PC-3 cancer cells in the G2/M phase of cell cycle in a dose dependent manner. Hoechst staining and annexin-V binding assay revealed that the compound 4p inhibited tumor cell proliferation through induction of apoptosis. Western blot studies demonstrated that the compound 4p treatment led to activation of caspase-3, increased expression of pro-apoptotic Bax and significantly decreased expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 in human prostate cancer PC-3 cells. In addition, the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) was also affected and the levels of intracellular Ca(2+) were raised. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  2. Development of chitosan graft pluronic®F127 copolymer nanoparticles containing DNA aptamer for paclitaxel delivery to treat breast cancer cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thach Nguyen, Kim; Le, Duc Vinh; Do, Dinh Ho; Huan Le, Quang

    2016-06-01

    HER-2/ErbB2/Neu(HER-2), a member of the epidermal growth factor receptor family, is specifically overexpressed on the surface of breast cancer cells and serves a therapeutic target for breast cancer. In this study, we aimed to isolate DNA aptamer (Ap) that specifically bind to a HER-2 overexpressing SK-BR-3 human breast cancer cell line, using SELEX strategy. We developed a novel multifunctional composite micelle with surface modification of Ap for targeted delivery of paclitaxel. This binary mixed system consisting of Ap modified pluronic®F127 and chitosan could enhance PTX loading capacity and increase micelle stability. Polymeric micelles had a spherical shape and were self-assemblies of block copolymers of approximately 86.22 ± 1.45 nm diameter. PTX could be loaded with high encapsulation efficiency (83.28 ± 0.13%) and loading capacity (9.12 ± 0.34%). The release profile were 29%-35% in the first 12 h and 85%-93% after 12 d at pH 7.5 of receiving media. The IC50 doses by MTT assay showed the greater activity of nanoparticles loaded paclitaxel over free paclitaxel and killed cells up to 95% after 6 h. These results demonstrated unique assembly with the capacity to function as an efficient detection and delivery vehicle in the biological living system.

  3. Nanoporous capsules of block co-polymers of [(MeO-PEG-NH)-b-(L-GluA)]-PCL for the controlled release of anticancer drugs for therapeutic applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Amgoth, Chander; Dharmapuri, Gangappa; Kalle, Arunasree M.; Paik, Pradip

    2016-03-01

    Herein, new nanoporous capsules of the block co-polymers of MeO-PEG-NH-(L-GluA)10 and polycaprolactone (PCL) have been synthesized through a surfactant-free cost-effective self-assembled soft-templating approach for the controlled release of drugs and for therapeutic applications. The nanoporous polymer capsules are designed to be biocompatible and are capable of encapsulating anticancer drugs (e.g., doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) and imatinib mesylate (ITM)) with a high extent (˜279 and ˜480 ng μg-1, respectively). We have developed a nanoformulation of porous MeO-PEG-NH-(L-GluA)10-PCL capsules with DOX and ITM. The porous polymer nanoformulations have been programmed in terms of the release of anticancer drugs with a desired dose to treat the leukemia (K562) and human carcinoma cells (HepG2) in vitro and show promising IC50 values with a very high mortality of cancer cells (up to ˜96.6%). Our nanoformulation arrests the cell divisions due to ‘cellular scenescence’ and kills the cancer cells specifically. The present findings could enrich the effectiveness of idiosyncratic nanoporous polymer capsules for use in various other nanomedicinal and biomedical applications, such as for killing cancer cells, immune therapy, and gene delivery.

  4. Cell-based dose responses from open-well microchambers.

    PubMed

    Hamon, Morgan; Jambovane, Sachin; Bradley, Lauren; Khademhosseini, Ali; Hong, Jong Wook

    2013-05-21

    Cell-based assays play a critical role in discovery of new drugs and facilitating research in cancer, immunology, and stem cells. Conventionally, they are performed in Petri dishes, tubes, or well plates, using milliliters of reagents and thousands of cells to obtain one data point. Here, we are introducing a new platform to realize cell-based assay capable of increased throughput and greater sensitivity with a limited number of cells. We integrated an array of open-well microchambers into a gradient generation system. Consequently, cell-based dose responses were examined with a single device. We measured IC50 values of three cytotoxic chemicals, Triton X-100, H2O2, and cadmium chloride, as model compounds. The present system is highly suitable for the discovery of new drugs and studying the effect of chemicals on cell viability or mortality with limited samples and cells.

  5. Modulating lysosomal function through lysosome membrane permeabilization or autophagy suppression restores sensitivity to cisplatin in refractory non-small-cell lung cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Circu, Magdalena; Cardelli, James; Barr, Martin; O'Byrne, Kenneth; Mills, Glenn; El-Osta, Hazem

    2017-01-01

    Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Most patients develop resistance to platinum within several months of treatment. We investigated whether triggering lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP) or suppressing autophagy can restore cisplatin susceptibility in lung cancer with acquired chemoresistance. Cisplatin IC50 in A549Pt (parental) and A549cisR (cisplatin resistant) cells was 13 μM and 47 μM, respectively. Following cisplatin exposure, A549cisR cells failed to elicit an apoptotic response. This was manifested by diminished Annexin-V staining, caspase 3 and 9, BAX and BAK activation in resistant but not in parental cells. Chloroquine preferentially promoted LMP in A549cisR cells, revealed by leakage of FITC-dextran into the cytosol as detected by immunofluorescence microscopy. This was confirmed by increased cytosolic cathepsin D signal on Immunoblot. Cell viability of cisplatin-treated A549cisR cells was decreased when co-treated with chloroquine, corresponding to a combination index below 0.8, suggesting synergism between the two drugs. Notably, chloroquine activated the mitochondrial cell death pathway as indicated by increase in caspase 9 activity. Interestingly, inhibition of lysosomal proteases using E64 conferred cytoprotection against cisplatin and chloroquine co-treatment, suggesting that chloroquine-induced cell death occurred in a cathepsin-mediated mechanism. Likewise, blockage of caspases partially rescued A549cisR cells against the cytotoxicity of cisplatin and chloroquine combination. Cisplatin promoted a dose-dependent autophagic flux induction preferentially in A549cisR cells, as evidenced by a surge in LC3-II/α-tubulin following pre-treatment with E64 and increase in p62 degradation. Compared to untreated cells, cisplatin induced an increase in cyto-ID-loaded autophagosomes in A549cisR cells that was further amplified by chloroquine, pointing toward autophagic flux activation by cisplatin. Interestingly, this effect was less pronounced in A549Pt cells. Blocking autophagy by ATG5 depletion using siRNA markedly enhances susceptibility to cisplatin in A549cisR cells. Taken together, our results underscore the utility of targeting lysosomal function in overcoming acquired cisplatin refractoriness in lung cancer.

  6. Nanoporous capsules of block co-polymers of [(MeO-PEG-NH)-b-(L-GluA)]-PCL for the controlled release of anticancer drugs for therapeutic applications.

    PubMed

    Amgoth, Chander; Dharmapuri, Gangappa; Kalle, Arunasree M; Paik, Pradip

    2016-03-29

    Herein, new nanoporous capsules of the block co-polymers of MeO-PEG-NH-(L-GluA)10 and polycaprolactone (PCL) have been synthesized through a surfactant-free cost-effective self-assembled soft-templating approach for the controlled release of drugs and for therapeutic applications. The nanoporous polymer capsules are designed to be biocompatible and are capable of encapsulating anticancer drugs (e.g., doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) and imatinib mesylate (ITM)) with a high extent (∼279 and ∼480 ng μg(-1), respectively). We have developed a nanoformulation of porous MeO-PEG-NH-(L-GluA)10-PCL capsules with DOX and ITM. The porous polymer nanoformulations have been programmed in terms of the release of anticancer drugs with a desired dose to treat the leukemia (K562) and human carcinoma cells (HepG2) in vitro and show promising IC50 values with a very high mortality of cancer cells (up to ∼96.6%). Our nanoformulation arrests the cell divisions due to 'cellular scenescence' and kills the cancer cells specifically. The present findings could enrich the effectiveness of idiosyncratic nanoporous polymer capsules for use in various other nanomedicinal and biomedical applications, such as for killing cancer cells, immune therapy, and gene delivery.

  7. Ubiquitin Ligase Cbl-b Is Involved in Icotinib (BPI-2009H)-Induced Apoptosis and G1 Phase Arrest of EGFR Mutation-Positive Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Mu, Xiaodong; Zhang, Ye; Qu, Xiujuan; Hou, Kezuo; Kang, Jian; Hu, Xuejun; Liu, Yunpeng

    2013-01-01

    Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is one of the most promising targets for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Icotinib, a highly selective EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI), has shown promising clinical efficacy and safety in patients with NSCLC. The exact molecular mechanism of icotinib remains unclear. In this study, we first investigated the antiproliferative effect of icotinib on NSCLC cells. Icotinib significantly inhibited proliferation of the EGFR-mutated lung cancer HCC827 cells. The IC50 values at 48 and 72 h were 0.67 and 0.07 μM, respectively. Flow cytometric analysis showed that icotinib caused the G1 phase arrest and increased the rate of apoptosis in HCC827 cells. The levels of cyclin D1 and cyclin A2 were decreased. The apoptotic process was associated with activation of caspase-3, -8, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Further study revealed that icotinib inhibited phosphorylation of EGFR, Akt, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase. In addition, icotinib upregulated ubiquitin ligase Cbl-b expression. These observations suggest that icotinib-induced upregulation of Cbl-b is responsible, at least in part, for the antitumor effect of icotinib via the inhibition of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways in EGFR-mutated NSCLC cells. PMID:23586056

  8. A Halogen-Containing Stilbene Derivative from the Leaves of Cajanus cajan that Induces Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

    PubMed

    Cai, Jia-Zhong; Tang, Rong; Ye, Gui-Fu; Qiu, Sheng-Xiang; Zhang, Nen-Ling; Hu, Ying-Jie; Shen, Xiao-Ling

    2015-06-11

    A new natural halogen-containing stilbene derivative was isolated from the leaves of Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. and identified as 3-O-(3-chloro-2-hydroxyl-propanyl)-longistylin A by comprehensive spectroscopic and chemical analysis, and named cajanstilbene H (1). It is the first halogen-containing stilbene derivative found from plants. In human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) from bone marrow, 1 did not promote cell proliferation, but distinctly enhanced osteogenic differentiation of hMSC in time- and dose-dependent manners. In six human cancer cell lines, 1 showed a moderate inhibitory effect on cell proliferation, with IC50 values of 21.42-25.85 μmol·L(-1).

  9. Anti-proliferative effect of RCE-4 from Reineckia carnea on human cervical cancer HeLa cells by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and NF-κB activation.

    PubMed

    Bai, Caihong; Yang, Xiaojiao; Zou, Kun; He, Haibo; Wang, Junzhi; Qin, Huilin; Yu, Xiaoqin; Liu, Chengxiong; Zheng, Juyan; Cheng, Fan; Chen, Jianfeng

    2016-06-01

    Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide. In recent years, the studies find that inflammation is a critical component of tumor progression, and the ideal therapeutic methods should be aimed at the inflammation reaction triggers. (1β,3β,5β,25S)-spirostan-1,3-diol1-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-D-xylopyranoside] (RCE-4) was the main active composition of Reineckia carnea (Andr.) Kunth. It significantly induced apoptosis in cervical cancer Caski cells through the mitochondrial pathway in our previous studies; however, its underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. This study aimed to further evaluate the effect of RCE-4 on human cervical cancer HeLa cells. Based on this observation, we investigated the anti-cervical cancer effect of RCE-4 by modulating phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase-B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) signaling pathway, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation, and inflammation-related key factors in HeLa cells. The results indicated that the HeLa cell was the most sensitive with an IC50 of 7.01 μM; RCE-4 significantly promoted the release of cellular lactate dehydrogenase (LDH); increased DNA fragmentation and apoptosis; reduced PI3K, Akt, mTOR, and NF-κBp65 phosphorylation levels; increased the Bax and cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) protein levels; suppressed Bcl-2 protein expression; elevated the Bax/Bcl-2 expression ratio; and decreased the interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA expressions in HeLa cells in a concentration-dependent manner. These findings suggest that RCE-4 exerted beneficially anti-cervical cancer effect on HeLa cells, mainly inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway phosphorylation and NF-κB activation, promoting HeLa cell apoptosis. Graphical abstract Anti-tumor effect of RCE-4 on HeLa cells.

  10. [Mechanisms for effect of osthole on inhibiting the growth and invasion of bladder cancer cells].

    PubMed

    Liu, Jun; Xu, Ran; Zhao, Xiaokun

    2016-04-01

    To investigate the effect of osthole on epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase (EGFR-TPK), matrix-metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), aminopeptidase N (APN) in bladder cancer cell and the underlying mechanism.
 The T24 cell lines were cultured. The inhibitory effects of osthole on EGFR-TPK, APN and MMP-2 were evaluated by spectrophotometric and MTT assay. The caspase-3 activity and the expression COX-2 and VEGF in T24 were examined. The activity of NF-κB was determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assay.
 The half inhibition concentrations (IC50) of osthole on EGFR-TPK, APN and MMP-2 were (45.33±3.98), (28.21±3.23) and (8.11±0.54) µmol/L, respectively. The growth inhibitory rates for T24 cells were increased in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). The caspase-3 activities were significantly increased in T24 cells in the osthole group compared with control group, while the expression of angiogenesis related-protein COX-2, VEGF, and NF-κB in T24 cells were decreased.
 Through the inhibitory effect on EGFR-TPK, APN and MMP-2, osthole can decrease COX-2, VEGF and NF-κB expression while increase the activity of caspase-3, eventually blocking the growth and invasion of bladder cancer cell.

  11. Ubiquitin ligase Cbl-b is involved in icotinib (BPI-2009H)-induced apoptosis and G1 phase arrest of EGFR mutation-positive non-small-cell lung cancer.

    PubMed

    Mu, Xiaodong; Zhang, Ye; Qu, Xiujuan; Hou, Kezuo; Kang, Jian; Hu, Xuejun; Liu, Yunpeng

    2013-01-01

    Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is one of the most promising targets for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Icotinib, a highly selective EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI), has shown promising clinical efficacy and safety in patients with NSCLC. The exact molecular mechanism of icotinib remains unclear. In this study, we first investigated the antiproliferative effect of icotinib on NSCLC cells. Icotinib significantly inhibited proliferation of the EGFR-mutated lung cancer HCC827 cells. The IC50 values at 48 and 72 h were 0.67 and 0.07 μ M, respectively. Flow cytometric analysis showed that icotinib caused the G1 phase arrest and increased the rate of apoptosis in HCC827 cells. The levels of cyclin D1 and cyclin A2 were decreased. The apoptotic process was associated with activation of caspase-3, -8, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Further study revealed that icotinib inhibited phosphorylation of EGFR, Akt, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase. In addition, icotinib upregulated ubiquitin ligase Cbl-b expression. These observations suggest that icotinib-induced upregulation of Cbl-b is responsible, at least in part, for the antitumor effect of icotinib via the inhibition of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways in EGFR-mutated NSCLC cells.

  12. Jungermannenone A and B induce ROS- and cell cycle-dependent apoptosis in prostate cancer cells in vitro.

    PubMed

    Guo, Yan-Xia; Lin, Zhao-Min; Wang, Mei-Juan; Dong, Yi-Wen; Niu, Huan-Min; Young, Charles Yf; Lou, Hong-Xiang; Yuan, Hui-Qing

    2016-06-01

    Jungermannenone A and B (JA, JB) are new ent-kaurane diterpenoids isolated from Chinese liverwort Jungermannia fauriana, which show anti-proliferation activities in cancer cells. In this study we investigated the mechanisms underlying the anticancer action of JA and JB in PC3 human prostate cancer cells in vitro. A panel of 9 human cancer cell lines was tested. Cell proliferation was assessed with a real-time cell analyzer and MTT assay. Cell apoptosis, cell cycle distribution and ROS levels were measured using cytometry. Mitochondrial damage was examined by transmission electron microscopy. DNA damage was detected with comet assay. Apoptotic, DNA damage- and cell cycle-related proteins were analyzed using Western blotting. The expression of DNA repair genes was measured with qRT-PCR. Both JA and JB exerted potent anti-proliferative action against the 9 cancer cell lines, and PC3 cells were more sensitive with IC50 values of 1.34±0.09 and 4.93±0.20 μmol/L, respectively. JA (1.5 μmol/L) and JB (5 μmol/L) induced PC3 cell apoptosis, which was attenuated by the caspase inhibitor Z-VAD. Furthermore, both JA and JB caused mitochondrial damage and ROS accumulation in PC3 cells, whereas vitamin C blocked the ROS accumulation and attenuated the cytotoxicity of JA and JB. Moreover, both JA and JB induced DNA damage, accompanied by downregulated DNA repair proteins Ku70/Ku80 and RDA51. JA induced marked cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase, which was related to c-Myc suppression, whereas JB enforced the cell cycle blockade in the G2/M phase, which associated with activation of the JNK signaling. Both JA and JB induce prostate cancer apoptosis via ROS accumulation and induction of cell cycle arrest.

  13. Jungermannenone A and B induce ROS- and cell cycle-dependent apoptosis in prostate cancer cells in vitro

    PubMed Central

    Guo, Yan-xia; Lin, Zhao-min; Wang, Mei-juan; Dong, Yi-wen; Niu, Huan-min; Young, Charles YF; Lou, Hong-xiang; Yuan, Hui-qing

    2016-01-01

    Aim: Jungermannenone A and B (JA, JB) are new ent-kaurane diterpenoids isolated from Chinese liverwort Jungermannia fauriana, which show anti-proliferation activities in cancer cells. In this study we investigated the mechanisms underlying the anticancer action of JA and JB in PC3 human prostate cancer cells in vitro. Methods: A panel of 9 human cancer cell lines was tested. Cell proliferation was assessed with a real-time cell analyzer and MTT assay. Cell apoptosis, cell cycle distribution and ROS levels were measured using cytometry. Mitochondrial damage was examined by transmission electron microscopy. DNA damage was detected with comet assay. Apoptotic, DNA damage- and cell cycle-related proteins were analyzed using Western blotting. The expression of DNA repair genes was measured with qRT-PCR. Results: Both JA and JB exerted potent anti-proliferative action against the 9 cancer cell lines, and PC3 cells were more sensitive with IC50 values of 1.34±0.09 and 4.93±0.20 μmol/L, respectively. JA (1.5 μmol/L) and JB (5 μmol/L) induced PC3 cell apoptosis, which was attenuated by the caspase inhibitor Z-VAD. Furthermore, both JA and JB caused mitochondrial damage and ROS accumulation in PC3 cells, whereas vitamin C blocked the ROS accumulation and attenuated the cytotoxicity of JA and JB. Moreover, both JA and JB induced DNA damage, accompanied by downregulated DNA repair proteins Ku70/Ku80 and RDA51. JA induced marked cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase, which was related to c-Myc suppression, whereas JB enforced the cell cycle blockade in the G2/M phase, which associated with activation of the JNK signaling. Conclusion: Both JA and JB induce prostate cancer apoptosis via ROS accumulation and induction of cell cycle arrest. PMID:27133304

  14. Benzyl isothiocyanate induces protective autophagy in human lung cancer cells through an endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated mechanism

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Qi-cheng; Pan, Zhen-hua; Liu, Bo-ning; Meng, Zhao-wei; Wu, Xiang; Zhou, Qing-hua; Xu, Ke

    2017-01-01

    Isothiocyanates, such as allyl isothiocya¬nate (AITC), benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC), phenethyl isothio¬cyanate (PEITC) and sulforaphane (SFN), are natural compounds abundant in cruciferous vegetables, which have substantial chemopreventive activities against various human malignancies. However, the mechanisms underlying the inhibition of tumor cell growth by isothiocyanates are not fully understood. Since autophagy has dual functions in cancer, in the present study we investigated the effects of BITC on autophagy induction in human lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. BITC (1–100 μmol/L) dose-dependently inhibited the growth of 3 different human lung cancer cell lines A549 (adenocarcinoma), H661 (large cell carcinoma) and SK-MES-1 (squamous cell carcinoma) with IC50 values of 30.7±0.14, 15.9±0.22 and 23.4±0.11 μmol/L, respectively. BITC (10–40 μmol/L) induced autophagy in the lung cancer cells, evidenced by the formation of acidic vesicular organelles (AVOs), the accumulation of LC3-II, the punctate pattern of LC3, and the expression of Atg5. Pretreatment with the autophagy inhibitor 3-MA (5 mmol/L) significantly enhanced the BITC-caused growth inhibition in the lung cancer cells. Furthermore, BITC (20–40 μmol/L) activated ER stress, as shown by the increased cytosolic Ca2+ level and the phosphorylation of the ER stress marker proteins PERK and eIF2α in the lung cancer cells. Pretreatment with the ER stress inhibitor 4-PBA (5 mmol/L) attenuated the autophagy induction and potentiated the BITC-induced cell growth inhibition. In nude mice bearing A549 xenografts, administration of BITC (100 mg·kg-1·d-1, ip) for 8 weeks markedly suppressed the lung tumor growth, and significantly enhanced both autophagy and ER stress in the tumor tissues. Our results demonstrate that BITC inhibits human lung cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. In addition, BITC induces autophagy in the lung cancer cells, which protects the cancer cells against the inhibitory action of BITC; the autophagy induction is mediated by the ER stress response. PMID:28112178

  15. In Vitro Antitumor Active Gold(I) Triphenylphosphane Complexes Containing 7-Azaindoles

    PubMed Central

    Štarha, Pavel; Trávníček, Zdeněk; Drahoš, Bohuslav; Dvořák, Zdeněk

    2016-01-01

    A series of gold(I) complexes of the general composition [Au(naza)(PPh3)] (1–8) was prepared and thoroughly characterized (e.g., electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry and multinuclear nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy). The N1-deprotonated anions of 7-azaindole or its derivatives (naza) are coordinated to the metal centre through the N1 atom of their pyrrole ring, as proved by a single crystal X-ray analysis of the complexes [Au(3I5Braza)(PPh3)] (7) and [Au(2Me4Claza)(PPh3)]·½H2O (8′). The in vitro cytotoxicity of the complexes 1–8 was studied against both the cisplatin-sensitive and -resistant variants of the A2780 human ovarian carcinoma cell line, as well as against the MRC-5 human normal fibroblast cell line. The complexes 4, 5, and 8, containing deprotonated 3-iodo-7-azaindole, 5-bromo-7-azaindole, and 2-methyl-4-chloro-7-azaindole (2Me4Claza), respectively, showed significantly higher potency (IC50 = 2.8–3.5 µM) than cisplatin (IC50 = 20.3 µM) against the A2780 cells and markedly lower effect towards the MRC-5 non-cancerous cells (IC50 = 26.0–29.2 µM), as compared with the mentioned A2780 cancer cells. The results of the flow cytometric studies of the A2780 cell cycle perturbations revealed a G2-cell cycle phase arrest of the cells treated by the representative complexes 1 and 5, which is indicative of a different mechanism of action from cisplatin (induced S-cell cycle phase arrest). The stability of the representative complex 8 in the water-containing solution as well as its ability to interact with the reduced glutathione, cysteine and bovine serum albumin was also studied using 1H and 31P-NMR spectroscopy (studied in the 50% DMF-d7/50% D2O mixture) and ESI+ mass spectrometry (studied in the 50% DMF/50% H2O mixture); DMF = dimethylformamide. The obtained results are indicative for the release of the N-donor azaindole-based ligand in the presence of the used biomolecules. PMID:27973440

  16. Fluopsin C induces oncosis of human breast adenocarcinoma cells.

    PubMed

    Ma, Li-sha; Jiang, Chang-you; Cui, Min; Lu, Rong; Liu, Shan-shan; Zheng, Bei-bei; Li, Lin; Li, Xia

    2013-08-01

    Fluopsin C, an antibiotic isolated from Pseudomonas jinanesis, has shown antitumor effects on several cancer cell lines. In the current study, the oncotic cell death induced by fluopsin C was investigated in human breast adenocarcinoma cells in vitro. Human breast adenocarcinoma cell lines MCF-7 and MD-MBA-231 were used. The cytotoxicity was evaluated using MTT assay. Time-lapse microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to observe the morphological changes. Cell membrane integrity was assessed with propidium iodide (PI) uptake and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay. Flow cytometry was used to measure reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm). A multimode microplate reader was used to analyze the intracellular ATP level. The changes in cytoskeletal system were investigated with Western blotting and immunostaining. Fluopsin C (0.5-8 μmol/L) reduced the cell viability in dose- and time-dependent manners. Its IC50 values in MCF-7 and MD-MBA-231 cells at 24 h were 0.9 and 1.03 μmol/L, respectively. Fluopsin C (2 μmol/L) induced oncosis in both the breast adenocarcinoma cells characterized by membrane blebbing and swelling, which was blocked by pretreatment with the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-fmk. In MCF-7 cells, fluopsin C caused PI uptake into the cells, significantly increased LDH release, induced cytoskeletal system degradation and ROS accumulation, decreased the intracellular ATP level and Δψm. Noticeably, fluopsin C exerted comparable cytotoxicity against the normal human hepatocytes (HL7702) and human mammary epithelial cells with the IC50 values at 24 h of 2.7 and 2.4 μmol/L, respectively. Oncotic cell death was involved in the anticancer effects of fluopsin C on human breast adenocarcinoma cells in vitro. The hepatoxicity of fluopsin C should not be ignored.

  17. Cytotoxic effect of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles synthesized via seaweed aqueous extract.

    PubMed

    Namvar, Farideh; Rahman, Heshu Sulaiman; Mohamad, Rosfarizan; Baharara, Javad; Mahdavi, Mahnaz; Amini, Elaheh; Chartrand, Max Stanley; Yeap, Swee Keong

    2014-01-01

    Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4 MNPs) are among the most useful metal nanoparticles for multiple applications across a broad spectrum in the biomedical field, including the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. In previous work, we synthesized and characterized Fe3O4 MNPs using a simple, rapid, safe, efficient, one-step green method involving reduction of ferric chloride solution using brown seaweed (Sargassum muticum) aqueous extract containing hydroxyl, carboxyl, and amino functional groups mainly relevant to polysaccharides, which acts as a potential stabilizer and metal reductant agent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic activity and cellular effects of these Fe3O4 MNPs. Their in vitro anticancer activity was demonstrated in human cell lines for leukemia (Jurkat cells), breast cancer (MCF-7 cells), cervical cancer (HeLa cells), and liver cancer (HepG2 cells). The cancer cells were treated with different concentrations of Fe3O4 MNPs, and an MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay was used to test for cytotoxicity, resulting in an inhibitory concentration 50 (IC50) value of 23.83±1.1 μg/mL (HepG2), 18.75±2.1 μg/mL (MCF-7), 12.5±1.7 μg/mL (HeLa), and 6.4±2.3 μg/mL (Jurkat) 72 hours after treatment. Therefore, Jurkat cells were selected for further investigation. The representative dot plots from flow cytometric analysis of apoptosis showed that the percentages of cells in early apoptosis and late apoptosis were increased. Cell cycle analysis showed a significant increase in accumulation of Fe3O4 MNP-treated cells at sub-G1 phase, confirming induction of apoptosis by Fe3O4 MNPs. The Fe3O4 MNPs also activated caspase-3 and caspase-9 in a time-response fashion. The nature of the biosynthesis and therapeutic potential of Fe3O4 MNPs could pave the way for further research on the green synthesis of therapeutic agents, particularly in nanomedicine, to assist in the treatment of cancer.

  18. Differential effects of erufosine on proliferation, wound healing and apoptosis in colorectal cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Kaleağasıoğlu, Ferda; Berger, Martin R

    2014-03-01

    The alkylphosphocholine, erucylphospho-N,N, N-trimethylpropanolamine (erufosine), has demonstrated anticancer effects in various cell lines, including leukemia, multiple myeloma, bladder, breast and oral squamous cell carcinoma cells. The purpose of the present study was to investigate its antiproliferative, antimigratory and pro-apoptotic effects in colorectal cancer cell lines, SW480 and CC531. The antiproliferative effect was determined by (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) (MTT) dye reduction assay following exposure to erufosine (3.1-100 µM) for 24-72 h. The antimigratory effect of erufosine (1.6-6 µM) was investigated by a wound healing assay for 12-48 h. Caspase-3/-7 activity was measured to detect apoptotic cell death. Erufosine inhibited cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The IC50 values following 72 h of incubation were 3.4 and 25.4 µM for SW480 and CC531 cells, respectively. erufosine at concentrations of 50 and 100 µM induced caspase-3/-7 activity concentration-dependently in SW480 cells, but only at 100 µM in CC531 cells. Incubation of SW480 cells with erufosine (1.56 µM) for 48 h inhibited migration into the scratched area by 54% as compared to the untreated cells; whereas in CC531 cells, the wound width in the erufosine-treated (1.56-6.25 µM) cells following 48 h was closed 2-fold slower than the rate in the untreated group. Erufosine (25 µM) attenuated osteonectin expression and abolished COL1A1 expression in CC531 cells. Erufosine appears to be a promising treatment agent for colorectal cancer. Rat CC531 cells are less sensitive to erufosine than human SW480 cells.

  19. Psoralea glandulosa as a Potential Source of Anticancer Agents for Melanoma Treatment

    PubMed Central

    Madrid, Alejandro; Cardile, Venera; González, César; Montenegro, Ivan; Villena, Joan; Caggia, Silvia; Graziano, Adriana; Russo, Alessandra

    2015-01-01

    With the aim of identifying novel agents with antigrowth and pro-apoptotic activity on melanoma cancer, the present study was undertaken to investigate the biological activity of the resinous exudate of aerial parts from Psoralea glandulosa, and its active components (bakuchiol (1), 3-hydroxy-bakuchiol (2) and 12-hydroxy-iso-bakuchiol (3)) against melanoma cells (A2058). In addition, the effect in cancer cells of bakuchiol acetate (4), a semi-synthetic derivative of bakuchiol, was examined. The results obtained show that the resinous exudate inhibited the growth of cancer cells with IC50 value of 10.5 μg/mL after 48 h of treatment, while, for pure compounds, the most active was the semi-synthetic compound 4. Our data also demonstrate that resin is able to induce apoptotic cell death, which could be related to an overall action of the meroterpenes present. In addition, our data seem to indicate that the apoptosis correlated to the tested products appears, at least in part, to be associated with an increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. In summary, our study provides the first evidence that P. glandulosa may be considered a source of useful molecules in the development of analogues with more potent efficacy against melanoma cells. PMID:25860949

  20. Cytotoxic effect of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles synthesized via seaweed aqueous extract

    PubMed Central

    Namvar, Farideh; Rahman, Heshu Sulaiman; Mohamad, Rosfarizan; Baharara, Javad; Mahdavi, Mahnaz; Amini, Elaheh; Chartrand, Max Stanley; Yeap, Swee Keong

    2014-01-01

    Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4 MNPs) are among the most useful metal nanoparticles for multiple applications across a broad spectrum in the biomedical field, including the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. In previous work, we synthesized and characterized Fe3O4 MNPs using a simple, rapid, safe, efficient, one-step green method involving reduction of ferric chloride solution using brown seaweed (Sargassum muticum) aqueous extract containing hydroxyl, carboxyl, and amino functional groups mainly relevant to polysaccharides, which acts as a potential stabilizer and metal reductant agent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic activity and cellular effects of these Fe3O4 MNPs. Their in vitro anticancer activity was demonstrated in human cell lines for leukemia (Jurkat cells), breast cancer (MCF-7 cells), cervical cancer (HeLa cells), and liver cancer (HepG2 cells). The cancer cells were treated with different concentrations of Fe3O4 MNPs, and an MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay was used to test for cytotoxicity, resulting in an inhibitory concentration 50 (IC50) value of 23.83±1.1 μg/mL (HepG2), 18.75±2.1 μg/mL (MCF-7), 12.5±1.7 μg/mL (HeLa), and 6.4±2.3 μg/mL (Jurkat) 72 hours after treatment. Therefore, Jurkat cells were selected for further investigation. The representative dot plots from flow cytometric analysis of apoptosis showed that the percentages of cells in early apoptosis and late apoptosis were increased. Cell cycle analysis showed a significant increase in accumulation of Fe3O4 MNP-treated cells at sub-G1 phase, confirming induction of apoptosis by Fe3O4 MNPs. The Fe3O4 MNPs also activated caspase-3 and caspase-9 in a time-response fashion. The nature of the biosynthesis and therapeutic potential of Fe3O4 MNPs could pave the way for further research on the green synthesis of therapeutic agents, particularly in nanomedicine, to assist in the treatment of cancer. PMID:24899805

  1. Potential of silver against human colon cancer: (synthesis, characterization and crystal structures of xylyl (Ortho, meta, &Para) linked bis-benzimidazolium salts and Ag(I)-NHC complexes: In vitro anticancer studies)

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Since the first successful synthesis of Ag(I)-N-heterocyclic carbene complex in 1993, this class of compounds has been extensively used for transmetallation reactions where the direct synthesis using other metal ions was either difficult or impossible. Initially, silver(I)-NHC complexes were tested for their catalytic potential but could not get fame because of lower potential compare to other competent compounds in this field; however, these compounds proved to have vital antimicrobial activities. These encouraging biomedical applications further convinced researchers to test these compounds against cancer. The current work has been carried out with this aim. Results N-ipropylbenzimidazole was synthesized by reaction of benzimidazole with ipropyl bromide. The subsequent treatment of the resulting N-alkylbenzimidazole with ortho/meta/para-(bromomethylene) benzene afforded corresponding bis-benzimidazolium bromides (5-7). The counter anion (Br-) of each salt was replaced by hexaflourophosphate (PF6-) for the ease of handling and further purification (8-10). Each salt (Ligand), in halide form, was further allowed to react with Ag2O with stirring at room temperature for a period of two days to synthesize dinuclear Ag(I)-NHC complexes (11-13). All synthesized compounds were characterized by spectroscopic techniques and microanalysis. Molecular structures of compounds 5, 9 &10 were established through single crystal x-ray diffraction technique. All the compounds were assessed for their anti-proliferation test on human colorectal cancer cell line (HCT 116). Results showed that the ligands (5-10) showed mild to negligible cytotoxicity on HCT 116 cells whereas respective silver complexes (11-13) exhibited dose dependent cytotoxicity towards the colon cancer cells with IC50 ranges between 9.7 to 44.5 μM. Interestingly, the complex 13 having para-xylyl spacer was found the most active (IC50 9.7 μM) that verifies our previously reported results. Conclusions All the bis-benzimidazolium salts (8-10) were found inactive whereas after bonding with silver cations, the Ag(I)-NHC complexes (11-13) showed a dose dependent cytotoxic activity. This proved that silver practice an important role in death of cancer cells. Also, the N-alkyl/aryl substitutions and ortho/metal/para xylyl units regulate the cytotoxicity. PMID:23391345

  2. Preclinical evaluation of a bispecific low-molecular heterodimer targeting both PSMA and GRPR for improved PET imaging and therapy of prostate cancer.

    PubMed

    Eder, Matthias; Schäfer, Martin; Bauder-Wüst, Ulrike; Haberkorn, Uwe; Eisenhut, Michael; Kopka, Klaus

    2014-05-01

    It has recently been reported that metastases of prostate cancer usually show highly heterogeneous or partly lost prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) expression. In order to image and treat both PSMA positive and negative tissues PSMA targeting probes need to be extended by a further specificity. Since prostate cancer cells usually express both PSMA and gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) a bispecific low-molecular heterodimeric molecule, addressing both targets at the same time, may significantly improve prostate cancer imaging and therapy. The nonapeptide BZH3 representing the GRPR binding part was combined with the urea-based PSMA inhibitor Glu-urea-Lys(Ahx)-HBED-CC. The syntheses of the compounds were performed according to standard Fmoc-solid phase peptide synthesis. The binding properties were analyzed by competitive cell binding and internalization experiments. The in vivo targeting properties were investigated by means of biodistribution studies. Cell binding experiments revealed high binding affinities to both GRPR and PSMA expressing cell lines. The heterodimer bound with IC50 -values essentially matching the IC50 values of the respective monomers (25.0 ± 5.4 nM for PSMA and 9.0 ± 1.8 nM for GRPR, respectively). In vivo, the heterodimer showed dual targeting of PSMA (5.4%ID/g for PSMA-positive tumors) and GRPR receptors (3.3% ID/g for GRPR-positive tumors) while exhibiting fast pharmacokinetic properties. The clearance from background was comparable to the monomeric PSMA-targeting reference. The heterodimeric molecule is a promising agent for PET imaging of primary and recurrent prostate cancer covering two receptor entities which might lead to an improved diagnostic sensitivity and therapeutic efficiency. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Elimination of Cancer Stem-Like Cells and Potentiation of Temozolomide Sensitivity by Honokiol in Glioblastoma Multiforme Cells

    PubMed Central

    Lai, I-Chun; Shih, Ping-Hsiao; Yao, Chih-Jung; Yeh, Chi-Tai; Wang-Peng, Jacqueline; Lui, Tai-Ngar; Chuang, Suang-En; Hu, Tsai-Shu; Lai, Tung-Yuan; Lai, Gi-Ming

    2015-01-01

    Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common adult malignant glioma with poor prognosis due to the resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which might be critically involved in the repopulation of cancer stem cells (CSCs) after treatment. We had investigated the characteristics of cancer stem-like side population (SP) cells sorted from GBM cells, and studied the effect of Honokiol targeting on CSCs. GBM8401 SP cells possessed the stem cell markers, such as nestin, CD133 and Oct4, and the expressions of self-renewal related stemness genes, such as SMO, Notch3 and IHH (Indian Hedgehog). Honokiol inhibited the proliferation of both GBM8401 parental cells and SP cells in a dose-dependent manner, the IC50 were 5.3±0.72 and 11±1.1 μM, respectively. The proportions of SP in GBM8401 cells were diminished by Honokiol from 1.5±0.22% down to 0.3±0.02% and 0.2±0.01% at doses of 2.5 μM and 5 μM, respectively. The SP cells appeared to have higher expression of O 6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) and be more resistant to Temozolomide (TMZ). The resistance to TMZ could be only slightly reversed by MGMT inhibitor O 6-benzylguanine (O 6-BG), but markedly further enhanced by Honokiol addition. Such significant enhancement was accompanied with the higher induction of apoptosis, greater down-regulation of Notch3 as well as its downstream Hes1 expressions in SP cells. Our data indicate that Honokiol might have clinical benefits for the GBM patients who are refractory to TMZ treatment. PMID:25763821

  4. Xanthatin and xanthinosin from the burs of Xanthium strumarium L. as potential anticancer agents.

    PubMed

    Ramírez-Erosa, Irving; Huang, Yaoge; Hickie, Robert A; Sutherland, Ronald G; Barl, Branka

    2007-11-01

    Xanthatin and xanthinosin, 2 sesquiterpene lactones isolated from the burs of Xanthiun strumarium L. (cocklebur), showed moderate to high in vitro cytotoxic activity in the human cancer cell lines WiDr ATCC (colon), MDA-MB-231 ATCC (breast), and NCI-417 (lung). Xanthatin and xanthinosin were purified as the result of a multi-screening bioassay-guided study of wild plant species of the family Asteraceae, collected from various sites in Saskatchewan, Canada. Seventy-five extracts at a single concentration of 100 microg/mL were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxicity to the human cancer cell lines used. The chloroform extract of Carduus nutans L. (nodding thistle) aerial parts (IC50, 9.3 microg/mL) and the hexane extract of Echinacea angustifolia DC. (narrow-leaved purple coneflower) root (IC50, 4.0 microg/mL) were moderately to highly cytotoxic to the lung cancer cell line. The chloroform extracts of X. strumarium L. burs and Tanacetum vulgare L. (tansy) aerial parts exhibited the highest cytotoxicity for all cell lines tested; their IC50 values, obtained from multidose testing, ranged from 0.1 to 6.2 microg/mL (X. strumarium) and from 2.4 to 9.1 microg/mL (T. vulgare). Further purification of the chloroform fraction of X. strumarium yielded xanthatin and xanthinosin in high yields. This is the first time that these compounds have been reported in the burs of X. strumarium. Their IC50 values are also reported herein.

  5. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles loading doxorubicin reverse multidrug resistance: performance and mechanism

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shen, Jianan; He, Qianjun; Gao, Yu; Shi, Jianlin; Li, Yaping

    2011-10-01

    Multidrug resistance (MDR) is one of the major obstacles for successful chemotherapy in cancer. One of the effective approaches to overcome MDR is to use nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery to increase drug accumulation in drug resistant cancer cells. In this work, we first report that the performance and mechanism of an inorganic engineered delivery system based on mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) loading doxorubicin (DMNs) to overcome the MDR of MCF-7/ADR (a DOX-resistant and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) over-expression cancer cell line). The experimental results showed that DMNs could enhance the cellular uptake of doxorubicin (DOX) and increase the cell proliferation suppression effect of DOX against MCF-7/ADR cells. The IC50 of DMNs against MCF-7/ADR cells was 8-fold lower than that of free DOX. However, an improved effect of DOX in DMNs against MCF-7 cells (a DOX-sensitive cancer cell line) was not found. The increased cellular uptake and nuclear accumulation of DOX delivered by DMNs in MCF-7/ADR cells was confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy, and could result from the down-regulation of P-gp and bypassing the efflux action by MSNs themselves. The cellular uptake mechanism of DMNs indicated that the macropinocytosis was one of the pathways for the uptake of DMNs by MCF-7/ADR cells. The in vivo biodistribution showed that DMNs induced a higher accumulation of DOX in drug resistant tumors than free DOX. These results suggested that MSNs could be an effective delivery system to overcome multidrug resistance.

  6. Novel Mps1 Kinase Inhibitors with Potent Antitumor Activity.

    PubMed

    Wengner, Antje M; Siemeister, Gerhard; Koppitz, Marcus; Schulze, Volker; Kosemund, Dirk; Klar, Ulrich; Stoeckigt, Detlef; Neuhaus, Roland; Lienau, Philip; Bader, Benjamin; Prechtl, Stefan; Raschke, Marian; Frisk, Anna-Lena; von Ahsen, Oliver; Michels, Martin; Kreft, Bertolt; von Nussbaum, Franz; Brands, Michael; Mumberg, Dominik; Ziegelbauer, Karl

    2016-04-01

    Monopolar spindle 1 (Mps1) has been shown to function as the key kinase that activates the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) to secure proper distribution of chromosomes to daughter cells. Here, we report the structure and functional characterization of two novel selective Mps1 inhibitors, BAY 1161909 and BAY 1217389, derived from structurally distinct chemical classes. BAY 1161909 and BAY 1217389 inhibited Mps1 kinase activity with IC50 values below 10 nmol/L while showing an excellent selectivity profile. In cellular mechanistic assays, both Mps1 inhibitors abrogated nocodazole-induced SAC activity and induced premature exit from mitosis ("mitotic breakthrough"), resulting in multinuclearity and tumor cell death. Both compounds efficiently inhibited tumor cell proliferation in vitro (IC50 nmol/L range). In vivo, BAY 1161909 and BAY 1217389 achieved moderate efficacy in monotherapy in tumor xenograft studies. However, in line with its unique mode of action, when combined with paclitaxel, low doses of Mps1 inhibitor reduced paclitaxel-induced mitotic arrest by the weakening of SAC activity. As a result, combination therapy strongly improved efficacy over paclitaxel or Mps1 inhibitor monotreatment at the respective MTDs in a broad range of xenograft models, including those showing acquired or intrinsic paclitaxel resistance. Both Mps1 inhibitors showed good tolerability without adding toxicity to paclitaxel monotherapy. These preclinical findings validate the innovative concept of SAC abrogation for cancer therapy and justify clinical proof-of-concept studies evaluating the Mps1 inhibitors BAY 1161909 and BAY 1217389 in combination with antimitotic cancer drugs to enhance their efficacy and potentially overcome resistance. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(4); 583-92. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

  7. Evaluation of in vitro anti-proliferative and immunomodulatory activities of compounds isolated from Curcuma longa

    PubMed Central

    Yue, Grace G. L.; Chan, Ben C. L.; Hon, Po-Ming; Lee, Mavis Y. H.; Fung, Kwok-Pui; Leung, Ping-Chung; Lau, Clara B. S.

    2010-01-01

    The rhizome of Curcuma longa (CL) has been commonly used in Asia as a potential candidate for the treatment of different diseases, including inflammatory disorders and cancers. The present study evaluated the anti-proliferative activities of the isolated compounds (3 curcuminoids and 2 turmerones) from CL, using human cancer cell lines HepG2, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. The immunomodulatory activities of turmerones (α and aromatic) isolated from CL were also examined using human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Our results showed that the curcuminoids (curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin) and α-turmerone significantly inhibited proliferation of cancer cells in dose-dependent manner. The IC50 values of these compounds in cancer cells ranged from 11.0–41.8 μg/ml. Alpha-turmerone induced MDA-MB-231 cells to undergo apoptosis, which was confirmed by annexin-V & propidium iodide staining, and DNA fragmentation assay. The caspase cascade was activated as shown by a significant decrease of procaspases-3, -8 and -9 in α-turmerone treated cells. Both α-turmerone and aromatic-turmerone showed stimulatory effects on PBMC proliferation and cytokine production. The anti-proliferative effect of α-turmerone and immunomodulatory activities of ar-turmerone were shown for the first time. The findings revealed the potential use of CL crude extract (containing curcuminoids and volatile oil including turmerones) as chemopreventive agent. PMID:20438793

  8. Enhanced Antiproliferative Effect of Carboplatin in Cervical Cancer Cells Utilizing Folate-Grafted Polymeric Nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ji, Jing; Zuo, Ping; Wang, Yue-Ling

    2015-11-01

    Carboplatin (CRB) possesses superior anticancer effect in cervical cancer cells with lower incidence of side effects compared to that of cisplatin. However, CRB suffers from severe side effects due to undesirable tissue distributions which contribute to the low therapeutic efficacy. Here, we report a unique folic acid-conjugated chitosan-coated poly( d- l-lactideco-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles (FPCC) prepared for the selective delivery of carboplatin to the cervical cancer cells. The particles were nanosized and spherical shaped with size less than <200 nm. The presence of protective chitosan layer controlled the overall release rate of CRB from chitosan-coated PLGA nanoparticles (PCC) and FPCC. FPCC displayed a higher cellular uptake capacity in HeLa cells than compared to non-targeted nanoparticles. Selective uptake of FPCC was due to an interaction of folic acid (FA) with the folate receptors alpha (FRs-α) which is overexpressed on the HeLa and promoted active targeting. These results indicated that FPCC had a specific affinity for the cancerous, HeLa cells owing to ligand-receptor (FA-FR-α) recognition. Consistently, FPCC showed superior cytotoxic effect than any other formulations. The IC50 (concentration of the drug required to kill 50 % of the cells) value of FPCC was 0.65 μg/ml while it was 1.08, 1.56, and 2.35 μg/ml for PCC, PLGA NP, and free CRB, respectively. Consistent with the cytotoxicity assay, FPCC induced higher fraction of early as well as late apoptosis cells. Especially, FPCC induced nearly 45 % of early apoptosis cells and more than 35 % in late apoptosis. Therefore, we propose that folate-conjugated nanoparticles might have potential applications in cervical cancer therapy.

  9. Discovering new mTOR inhibitors for cancer treatment through virtual screening methods and in vitro assays

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Ling; Chen, Lei; Yu, Miao; Xu, Li-Hui; Cheng, Bao; Lin, Yong-Sheng; Gu, Qiong; He, Xian-Hui; Xu, Jun

    2016-01-01

    Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is an attractive target for new anticancer drug development. We recently developed in silico models to distinguish mTOR inhibitors and non-inhibitors. In this study, we developed an integrated strategy for identifying new mTOR inhibitors using cascaded in silico screening models. With this strategy, fifteen new mTOR kinase inhibitors including four compounds with IC50 values below 10 μM were discovered. In particular, compound 17 exhibited potent anticancer activities against four tumor cell lines, including MCF-7, HeLa, MGC-803, and C6, with IC50 values of 1.90, 2.74, 3.50 and 11.05 μM. Furthermore, cellular studies and western blot analyses revealed that 17 induces cell death via apoptosis by targeting both mTORC1 and mTORC2 within cells and arrests the cell cycle of HeLa at the G1/G0-phase. Finally, multi-nanosecond explicit solvent simulations and MM/GBSA analyses were carried out to study the inhibitory mechanisms of 13, 17, and 40 for mTOR. The potent compounds presented here are worthy of further investigation.

  10. Tubeimoside-1 induces oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis and G0/G1 phase arrest in human prostate carcinoma cells in vitro

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Jing-bo; Khan, Muhammad; He, Yang-yang; Yao, Min; Li, Yong-ming; Gao, Hong-wen; Ma, Tong-hui

    2016-01-01

    Aim: Tubeimoside-1 (TBMS1), a triterpenoid saponin extracted from the Chinese herbal medicine Bolbostemma paniculatum (Maxim) Franquet (Cucurbitaceae), has shown anticancer activities in various cancer cell lines. The aim of this study was to investigate the anticancer activity and molecular targets of TBMS1 in human prostate cancer cells in vitro. Methods: DU145 and P3 human prostate cancer cells were treated with TBMS1. Cell viability and apoptosis were detected. ROS generation, mitochondrial membrane potential and cell cycle profile were examined. Western blotting was used to measure the expression of relevant proteins in the cells. Results: TBMS1 (5–100 μmol/L) significantly suppressed the viability of DU145 and P3 cells with IC50 values of approximately 10 and 20 μmol/L, respectively. Furthermore, TBMS1 dose-dependently induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase in DU145 and P3 cells. In DU145 cells, TBMS1 induced mitochondrial apoptosis, evidenced by ROS generation, mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum stress, modulated Bcl-2 family protein and cleaved caspase-3, and activated ASK-1 and its downstream targets p38 and JNK. The G0/G1 phase arrest was linked to increased expression of p53 and p21 and decreased expression of cyclin E and cdk2. Co-treatment with Z-VAD-FMK (pan-caspase inhibitor) could attenuate TBMS1-induced apoptosis but did not prevent G0/G1 arrest. Moreover, co-treatment with NAC (ROS scavenger), SB203580 (p38 inhibitor), SP600125 (JNK inhibitor) or salubrinal (ER stress inhibitor) significantly attenuated TBMS1-induced apoptosis. Conclusion: TBMS1 induces oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis in DU145 human prostate cancer cells in vitro via the mitochondrial pathway. PMID:27292614

  11. Synthesis of novel fluorinated chalcones derived from 4‧-morpholinoacetophenone and their antiproliferative effects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kurşun Aktar, Bedriye Seda; Oruç-Emre, Emine Elçin; Demirtaş, Ibrahim; Yaglioglu, Ayse Sahin; Guler, Caglar; Adem, Sevki; Karaküçük Iyidoğan, Ayşegül

    2017-12-01

    The fluorinated chalcones were synthesized by Claisen-Schmidt condensation between 4‧-morpholineacetophenone and various fluorinated benzaldehydes in the presence of NaOH in methanol. The synthesized compounds [1-7] were evaluated their antiproliferative activity against HeLa and C6 cell lines. Among them, compounds 4 and 5 were determined to have anticancer activity against HeLa cells line (IC50 values of 7.74 and 6.10 μg/mL, respectively). The anticancer activity results were shown that compounds 3, and 6 had inhibitory against C6 cells (IC50 values of 12.80 and 4.16 μg/mL, respectively). The compounds 1 and 2 had high antiproliferative activity with non-cytotoxicity. All of the new compounds, except for compound 4 showed inhibition against the human isozyme hCA I with IC50 in the range of 0.5-1,16 mM. Pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) was effectively inhibited by compound 4 with IC50 = 26 μM.

  12. Cytotoxic Activity of Kenaf Seed Oils from Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Fluid Extraction towards Human Colorectal Cancer (HT29) Cell Lines.

    PubMed

    Abd Ghafar, Siti Aisyah; Ismail, Maznah; Saiful Yazan, Latifah; Fakurazi, Sharida; Ismail, Norsharina; Chan, Kim Wei; Md Tahir, Paridah

    2013-01-01

    Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) from the family Malvaceae, is a valuable fiber plant native to India and Africa and is currently planted as the fourth commercial crop in Malaysia. Kenaf seed oil contains alpha-linolenic acid, phytosterol such as β -sitosterol, vitamin E, and other antioxidants with chemopreventive properties. Kenaf seeds oil (KSO) was from supercritical carbon dioxide extraction fluid (SFE) at 9 different permutations of parameters based on range of pressures from 200 to 600 bars and temperature from 40 to 80°C. They were 200/40, 200/60, 200/80, 400/40, 400/60, 400/80, 600/40, 600/60, and 600/80. Extraction from 9 parameters of KSO-SFE was screened for cytotoxicity towards human colorectal cancer cell lines (HT29) and mouse embryonic fibroblast (NIH/3T3) cell lines using MTS assay. KSO-SFE at 600/40 showed the strongest cytotoxicity towards HT29 with IC50 of 200 µg/mL. The IC50 for NIH/3T3 was not detected even at highest concentration employed. Cell cycle analysis showed a significant increase in the accumulation of KSO-SFE-treated cells at sub-G1 phase, indicating the induction of apoptosis by KSO-SFE. Further apoptosis induction was confirmed by Annexin V/PI and AO/PI staining.

  13. Cadmium-coordinated supramolecule suppresses tumor growth of T-cell leukemia in mice

    PubMed Central

    Zhou, Xiaoping; Koizumi, Yukio; Zhang, Muxin; Natsui, Miyuki; Koyota, Souichi; Yamada, Manabu; Kondo, Yoshihiko; Hamada, Fumio; Sugiyama, Toshihiro

    2015-01-01

    Cadmium is a toxic pollutant with occupational and environmental significance, due to its diverse toxic effects. Supramolecules that conjugate and decontaminate toxic metals have potential for use in treatment of cadmium intoxication. In addition, metal-coordinating ability has been postulated to contribute to the cytotoxic effects of anti-tumor agents such as cisplatin or bleomycin. Thiacalixarenes, cyclic oligomers of p-alkylphenol bridged by sulfur atoms, are supramolecules known to have potent coordinating ability to metal ions. In this study, we show that cadmium-coordinated thiacalix[4]arene tetrasulfate (TC4ATS-Cd) exhibits an anti-proliferative effect against T-cell leukemia cells. Cadmium exhibited cytotoxicity with IC50 values ranging from 36 to 129 μM against epithelia-derived cancer cell lines, while TC4ATS-Cd elicited no significant cytotoxicity (IC50 > 947 μM). However, a number of T-cell leukemia cell lines exhibited marked sensitivity to TC4ATS-Cd. In Jurkat cells, toxicity of TC4ATS-Cd occurred with an IC50 of 6.9 μM, which is comparable to that of 6.5 μM observed for cadmium alone. TC4ATS-Cd induced apoptotic cell death through activation of caspase-3 in Jurkat cells. In a xenograft model, TC4ATS-Cd (13 mg/kg) treatment significantly suppressed the tumor growth of Jurkat cells in mice. In addition, TC4ATS-Cd-treated mice exhibited significantly less cadmium accumulation in liver and kidney compared to equimolar cadmium-treated mice. These results suggest that cadmium-coordinated supramolecules may have therapeutic potential for treatment of T-cell leukemia. PMID:25735932

  14. Microbial transformation of danazol with Cunninghamella blakesleeana and anti-cancer activity of danazol and its transformed products.

    PubMed

    Baydoun, Elias; Atia-tul-Wahab; Mehmood, Hina; Ahmad, Malik Shoaib; Malik, Rizwana; Smith, Colin; Choudhary, M Iqbal

    2016-01-01

    Biotransformation of danazol (1) (17β-hydroxy-17α-pregna-2,4-dien-20-yno-[2,3-d]-isoxazole) with Cunninghamella blakesleeana yielded three new metabolites 2-4 and a known metabolite 5. These metabolites were identified as 14β,17β-dihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-17α-pregn-4-en-20-yn-3-one (2), 1α,17β-dihydroxy-17α-pregna-2,4-dien-20-yno-[2,3-d]-isoxazole (3), 6β,17β-dihydroxy-17α-pregna-2,4-dien-20-yno-[2,3-d]-isoxazole (4), and 17β-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-17α-pregn-1,4-dien-20-yn-3-one (5). Danazol (1) and its derivatives were evaluated against cervical cancer cell line (HeLa). Compound 1 showed a potent cytotoxicity with IC50=0.283±0.013 μM, as compared to doxorubicin (IC50=0.506±0.015 μM), where compound 3 was also found to be significantly active with IC50=13.427±0.819 μM. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Antimicrobial and cytotoxic effects of Mexican medicinal plants.

    PubMed

    Jacobo-Salcedo, Maria del Rosario; Alonso-Castro, Angel Josabad; Salazar-Olivo, Luis A; Carranza-Alvarez, Candy; González-Espíndola, Luis Angel; Domínguez, Fabiola; Maciel-Torres, Sandra Patricia; García-Lujan, Concepción; González-Martínez, Marisela del Rocio; Gómez-Sánchez, Maricela; Estrada-Castillón, Eduardo; Zapata-Bustos, Rocio; Medellin-Milán, Pedro; García-Carrancá, Alejandro

    2011-12-01

    The antimicrobial effects of the Mexican medicinal plants Guazuma ulmifolia, Justicia spicigera, Opuntia joconostle, O. leucotricha, Parkinsonia aculeata, Phoradendron longifolium, P. serotinum, Psittacanthus calyculatus, Tecoma stans and Teucrium cubense were tested against several human multi-drug resistant pathogens, including three Gram (+) and five Gram (-) bacterial species and three fungal species using the disk-diffusion assay. The cytotoxicity of plant extracts on human cancer cell lines and human normal non-cancerous cells was also evaluated using the MTT assay. Phoradendron longifolium, Teucrium cubense, Opuntia joconostle, Tecoma stans and Guazuma ulmifolia showed potent antimicrobial effects against at least one multidrug-resistant microorganism (inhibition zone > 15 mm). Only Justicia spicigera and Phoradendron serotinum extracts exerted active cytotoxic effects on human breast cancer cells (IC50 < or = 30 microg/mL). The results showed that Guazuma ulmifolia produced potent antimicrobial effects against Candida albicans and Acinetobacter lwoffii, whereas Justicia spicigera and Phoradendron serotinum exerted the highest toxic effects on MCF-7 and HeLa, respectively, which are human cancer cell lines. These three plant species may be important sources of antimicrobial and cytotoxic agents.

  16. Undecylprodigiosin conjugated monodisperse gold nanoparticles efficiently cause apoptosis in colon cancer cells in vitro

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Nikodinovic-Runic, Jasmina; Mojic, Marija; Kang, Yijin

    2014-01-01

    Bacterial pigment undecylprodigiosin (UP) was produced using Streptomyces sp. JS520 and conjugated to monodisperse gold nanoparticles (UP-Au). Both UP and UP-Au showed cytocidal activity towards melanoma (A375), lung carcinoma (A549), breast cancer (MCF-7) and colon cancer (HCT-116) cells, inducing apoptosis with IC50 values ranging from 0.4 to 4 mu g ml(-1). Unconjugated UP had a tendency to lose its activity over time and to change biophysical characteristics over pH. The loss of the pigment potency was overcome by conjugation with gold nanoparticles. UP-Au exhibited high stability over pH 3.8 to 7.4 and its activity remained unaffected in time. Nano-packing changedmore » the mechanism of UP toxicity by converting the intracellular signals from a mitochondrial dependent to a mitochondrial independent apoptotic process. The availability of nonpyrogenic UP in high amounts, together with specific anticancer activity and improved stability in the complex with gold nanoparticles, presents a novel platform for further development of UP-Au complexes as an anticancer drug suitable for clinical applications.« less

  17. Synthesis, molecular structure, spectral analysis, and biological activity of new malonamide derivatives as α-glucosidase inhibitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barakat, Assem; Islam, Mohammad Shahidul; Al-Majid, Abdullah Mohammed; Soliman, Saied M.; Ghabbour, Hazem A.; Yousuf, Sammer; Choudhary, M. Iqbal; Ul-Haq, Zaheer

    2017-04-01

    Two new malonamide derivatives were synthesized via the Michael addition of N1,N3-di(pyridin-2-yl)malonamide to α,β-unsaturated ketones using a 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) catalyst at room temperature. All reactions efficiently furnished the desired malonamide derivatives, which differed only in their substitution on one phenyl group, with one derivative bearing a bromine substituent and the other bearing a methyl group. The structures of newly synthesized compounds were then elucidated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis. In addition, the synthesized compounds were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines and for α-glucosidase inhibition. The target compounds exhibited enhanced α-glucosidase inhibition activity (i.e., IC50 = 12.8 ± 0.1 and 28.4 ± 0.2 μM) compared to the common drug acarbose (IC50 = 840 ± 1.73 μM). Both compounds were found to be non-cytotoxic against H460 (lung carcinoma) and T3T (normal fibroblast) cell lines. In addition, the bromo-substituted derivative exhibited weak cytotoxic against cervical cancer HeLa (IC50 = 13.8 ± 0.4 μM) and breast cancer MCF-7 (IC50 = 21.11 ± 0.88 μM) cell lines, while the methyl-substituted derivative showed weak cytotoxicity against the MCF-7 cell line (IC50 = 47.9 ± 0.7 μM). Density functional theory (DFT) B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) calculations were employed to examine the molecular structures and electronic properties of the prepared compounds. As expected, the bromo-derivative (2.2377 D) exhibited a higher polarity than the methyl-derivative (1.9160 D). Furthermore, the HOMO and LUMO diagrams were constructed and the electronic spectra of both compounds were assigned using time-dependent (TD)-DFT calculations. Finally, the calculated NMR chemical shifts correlated well with the experimental data.

  18. Mecambridine induces potent cytotoxic effects, autophagic cell death and modulation of the mTOR/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in HSC-3 oral squamous cell carcinoma cells

    PubMed Central

    Lin, Na; Li, Zhiping; Wang, Deli; Zheng, Kewen; Wu, Yiyan; Wang, Huiqi

    2018-01-01

    Plant secondary metabolites including alkaloids, demonstrate a complex diversity in their molecular scaffolds and exhibit tremendous pharmacological potential as anti-cancerous therapeutics. The present study aimed to evaluate the anticancer activity of a natural alkaloid, mecambridine, against human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). An MTT assay was used to evaluate cytotoxic effects of mecambridine on HSC-3 oral squamous cell carcinoma cells. Effects of mecambridine on autophagy-associated proteins were analyzed by western blotting. Effects on reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential were assessed by flow cytometry. Results indicated that mecambridine exhibited an IC50 value of 50 µM and exerted its cytotoxic effects in a dose dependent manner on OSCC HSC-3 cells. Furthermore, it was observed that mecambridine decreases cell viability and induces autophagy in a dose-dependent manner. The underlying mechanism for the induction of autophagy was demonstrated to be associated with ROS-mediated alterations in mitochondrial membrane potential and modulation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin/phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (m-TOR/PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway in HSC-3 at the IC50. In conclusion, the present study suggests that mecambridine exhibits substantial anticancer activity against OSCC HSC-3 cells by induction of autophagy and modulates the expression of the mTOR/PI3K/Akt signaling cascade which is considered a potential target pathway for anti-cancer agents. PMID:29422960

  19. Ginkgo biloba exocarp extracts induces autophagy in Lewis lung cancer cells involving AMPK / mTOR / p70S6k signaling pathway.

    PubMed

    Cao, Chenjie; Han, Dongdong; Su, Ya; Ge, Yu; Chen, Huasheng; Xu, Aihua

    2017-09-01

    Ginkgo biloba L. is called a living fossil plant, and could be used for the treatment of cancer thousands of years ago in China. The extracts prepared from the Ginkgo biloba exocarp (Ginkgo biloba exocarp extracts, GBEE) has a significant anti-cancer effect. Autophagy plays an important role in the occurrence and development of cancer as programmed cell death (PCD) type II. Thus it would be interesting to study the effects and mechanisms of GBEE inducing autophagy in Lewis lung cancer (LLC) cells. MTT method was used to detect the inhibitory effect of GBEE on LLC cells. Monodansylcadaverine (MDC) staining method was applied to observe the formation of acidic vacuoles in cells. The ultrastructure of LLC cells was observed using transmission electron microscope (TEM) to confirm the formation of autophagosomes. Quantify reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the mRNA levels of Beclin1 and Atg5. Western Blot was used to detect the protein levels of Beclin1, Atg5, LC3I/II, p-AMPK, AMPK, p-mTOR, mTOR, p-p70S6k and p70S6K in LLC cells. GBEE (5-160μg/mL) inhibited the proliferation of LLC cells in vitro with the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 161.26μg/mL. The formation and activation of acidic vacuoleswere increased by the action of GBEE (10, 20 and 40μg/mL) on LLC cells. The autophagosomes were also increased. Meanwhile, it up-regulated both the mRNA and protein levels of Beclin1 and Atg5. The ratio of LC3-I/LC3-II protein was down-regulated. In addition, the protein level of p-AMPK was increased, and the p-mTOR and p-p70S6K was decreased. But the AMPK, mTOR and p70S6K proteins were not significantly changed. The inhibitory effect of GBEE on LLC is associate with inducing autophagy in LLC cells, which may be closely relevant to the regulation of AMPK/mTOR/p70S6k signaling pathways. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  20. Cytotoxic Activity of Kenaf Seed Oils from Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Fluid Extraction towards Human Colorectal Cancer (HT29) Cell Lines

    PubMed Central

    Abd Ghafar, Siti Aisyah; Ismail, Maznah; Saiful Yazan, Latifah; Fakurazi, Sharida; Chan, Kim Wei; Md Tahir, Paridah

    2013-01-01

    Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) from the family Malvaceae, is a valuable fiber plant native to India and Africa and is currently planted as the fourth commercial crop in Malaysia. Kenaf seed oil contains alpha-linolenic acid, phytosterol such as β-sitosterol, vitamin E, and other antioxidants with chemopreventive properties. Kenaf seeds oil (KSO) was from supercritical carbon dioxide extraction fluid (SFE) at 9 different permutations of parameters based on range of pressures from 200 to 600 bars and temperature from 40 to 80°C. They were 200/40, 200/60, 200/80, 400/40, 400/60, 400/80, 600/40, 600/60, and 600/80. Extraction from 9 parameters of KSO-SFE was screened for cytotoxicity towards human colorectal cancer cell lines (HT29) and mouse embryonic fibroblast (NIH/3T3) cell lines using MTS assay. KSO-SFE at 600/40 showed the strongest cytotoxicity towards HT29 with IC50 of 200 µg/mL. The IC50 for NIH/3T3 was not detected even at highest concentration employed. Cell cycle analysis showed a significant increase in the accumulation of KSO-SFE-treated cells at sub-G1 phase, indicating the induction of apoptosis by KSO-SFE. Further apoptosis induction was confirmed by Annexin V/PI and AO/PI staining. PMID:23606884

  1. Silicon(IV) phthalocyanines substituted axially with different nucleoside moieties. Effects of nucleoside type on the photosensitizing efficiencies and in vitro photodynamic activities.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Bi-Yuan; Shen, Xiao-Min; Zhao, Dong-Mei; Cai, Yi-Bin; Ke, Mei-Rong; Huang, Jian-Dong

    2016-06-01

    A series of new silicon(IV) phthalocyanines (SiPcs) di-substituted axially with different nucleoside moieties have been synthesized and evaluated for their singlet oxygen quantum yields (ΦΔ) and in vitro photodynamic activities. The adenosine-substituted SiPc shows a lower photosensitizing efficiency (ΦΔ=0.35) than the uridine- and cytidine-substituted analogs (ΦΔ=0.42-0.44), while the guanosine-substituted SiPc exhibits a weakest singlet oxygen generation efficiency with a ΦΔ value down to 0.03. On the other hand, replacing axial adenosines with chloro-modified adenosines and purines can result in the increase of photogenerating singlet oxygen efficiencies of SiPcs. The formed SiPcs 1 and 2, which contain monochloro-modified adenosines and dichloro-modified purines respectively, appear as efficient photosensitizers with ΦΔ of 0.42-0.44. Both compounds 1 and 2 present high photocytotoxicities against HepG2 and BGC823 cancer cells with IC50 values ranging from 9nM to 33nM. The photocytotoxicities of these two compounds are remarkably higher than the well-known anticancer photosensitizer, chlorin e6 (IC50=752nM against HepG2 cells) in the same condition. As revealed by confocal microscopy, for both cell lines, compound 1 can essentially bind to mitochondria, while compound 2 is just partially localized in mitochondria. In addition, the two compounds induce cell death of HepG2 cells likely through apoptosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Cucurbitacin B inhibits breast cancer metastasis and angiogenesis through VEGF-mediated suppression of FAK/MMP-9 signaling axis.

    PubMed

    Sinha, Sonam; Khan, Sajid; Shukla, Samriddhi; Lakra, Amar Deep; Kumar, Sudhir; Das, Gunjan; Maurya, Rakesh; Meeran, Syed Musthapa

    2016-08-01

    Available breast cancer therapeutic strategies largely target the primary tumor but are ineffective against tumor metastasis and angiogenesis. In our current study, we determined the effect of Cucurbitacin B (CuB), a plant triterpenoid, on the metastatic and angiogenic potential of breast cancer cells. CuB was found to inhibit cellular proliferation and induce apoptosis in breast cancer cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Further, CuB-treatment significantly inhibited the migratory and invasive potential of highly metastatic breast cancer MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 cells at sub-IC50 concentrations, where no significant apoptosis was observed. CuB was also found to inhibit migratory, invasive and tube-forming capacities of HUVECs in vitro. In addition, inhibition of pre-existing vasculature in chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane ex vivo further supports the anti-angiogenic effect of CuB. CuB-mediated anti-metastatic and anti-angiogenic effects were associated with the downregulation of VEGF/FAK/MMP-9 signaling, which has been validated by using FAK-inhibitor (FI-14). CuB-treatment resulted in a significant inhibition of VEGF-induced phosphorylation of FAK and MMP-9 expressions similar to the action of FI-14. CuB was also found to decrease the micro-vessel density as evidenced by the decreased expression of CD31, a marker for neovasculature. Further, CuB-treatment inhibited tumor growth, lung metastasis and angiogenesis in a highly metastatic 4T1-syngeneic mouse mammary cancer. Collectively, our findings suggest that CuB inhibited breast cancer metastasis and angiogenesis, at least in part, through the downregulation of VEGF/FAK/MMP-9 signaling. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Folate targeted polymeric 'green' nanotherapy for cancer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Narayanan, Sreeja; Binulal, N. S.; Mony, Ullas; Manzoor, Koyakutty; Nair, Shantikumar; Menon, Deepthy

    2010-07-01

    The concept of 'green' chemotherapy by employing targeted nanoparticle mediated delivery to enhance the efficacy of phytomedicines is reported. Poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles encapsulating a well known nutraceutical namely, grape seed extract (GSE)—'NanoGSE'—was prepared by a nanoprecipitation technique. The drug-loaded nanoparticles of size ~ 100 nm exhibited high colloidal stability at physiological pH. Molecular receptor targeting of this nanophytomedicine against folate receptor over-expressing cancers was demonstrated in vitro by conjugation with a potential cancer targeting ligand, folic acid (FA). Fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry data showed highly specific cellular uptake of FA conjugated NanoGSE on folate receptor positive cancer cells. Studies were also conducted to investigate the efficiency of targeted (FA conjugated) versus non-targeted (non-FA conjugated) nanoformulations in causing cancer cell death. The IC50 values were lowered by a factor of ~ 3 for FA-NanoGSE compared to the free drug, indicating substantially enhanced bioavailability to the tumor cells, sparing the normal ones. Receptor targeting of FA-NanoGSE resulted in a significant increase in apoptotic index, which was also quantified by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. This in vitro study provides a basis for the use of nanoparticle mediated delivery of anticancer nutraceuticals to enhance bioavailability and effectively target cancer by a 'green' approach.

  4. 2-(3′-Indolyl)-N-arylthiazole-4-carboxamides: Synthesis and evaluation of antibacterial and anticancer activities

    PubMed Central

    Tantak, Mukund P.; Wang, Jing; Singh, Rajnish Prakash; Kumar, Anil; Shah, Kavita; Kumar, Dalip

    2015-01-01

    A new series of 2-(3′-indolyl)-N-arylthiazole-4-carboxamides 17a-p has been designed and synthesized. Initial reaction of readily available thioamides 15 with bromopyruvic acid under refluxing conditions produced different thiazole carboxylic acids 16 which upon coupling with arylamines by using EDCI.HCl and HOBt afforded diverse arylthiazole-4-carboxamides 17a-p in 78-87% yields. Antibacterial activity evaluation against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains led to compounds 17i-k and 17o as potent and selectively (Gram-negative) antibacterial agents. The cytotoxicity of thiazole carboxamides 17a-p was also evaluated on a panel of human cancer cell lines. Among the tested derivatives, compounds 17i (IC50 = 8.64 μM; HEK293T) and 17l (IC50 = 3.41 μM; HeLa) were identified as the most potent analogues of the series. Preliminary mechanism of action studies of thiazole carboxamide 17i suggested that its cytotoxicity against HeLa cells involves the induction of cell death by apoptosis. PMID:26298501

  5. Design and evaluation of clickable gelatin-oleic nanoparticles using fattigation-platform for cancer therapy.

    PubMed

    Meghani, Nilesh M; Amin, Hardik H; Park, Chulhun; Park, Jun-Bom; Cui, Jing-Hao; Cao, Qing-Ri; Lee, Beom-Jin

    2018-07-10

    The principles of bioorthogonal click chemistry and metabolic glycoengineering were applied to produce targeted anti-cancer drug delivery via fattigation-platform-based gelatin-oleic nanoparticles. A sialic acid precursor (Ac 4 ManNAz) was introduced to the cell surface. Gelatin and oleic acid were conjugated by 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride/N-hydroxysuccinimide (EDC/NHS) chemistry with the subsequent covalent attachment of dibenzocyclooctyne (DBCO) in a click reaction on the cell surface. The physicochemical properties, drug release, in vitro cytotoxicity, and cellular uptake of DBCO-conjugated gelatin oleic nanoparticles (GON-DBCO; particle size, ∼240 nm; zeta potential, 6 mV) were evaluated. Doxorubicin (DOX) was used as a model drug and compared with the reference product, Caelyx®. A549 and MCF-7 cell lines were used for the in vitro studies. GON-DBCO showed high DOX loading and encapsulation efficiencies. In A549 cells, the IC50 value for GON-DBCO-DOX (1.29 µg/ml) was six times lower than that of Caelyx® (10.54 µg/ml); in MCF-7 cells, the IC50 values were 1.78 µg/ml and 2.84 µg/ml, respectively. Confocal microscopy confirmed the click reaction between GON-DBCO and Ac4ManNAz on the cell surface. Flow cytometry data revealed that the intracellular uptake of GON-DBCO-DOX was approximately two times greater than that of GON-DOX and Caelyx®. Thus, the newly designed GON-DBCO-DOX provided a safe and efficient drug delivery system to actively target the anticancer agents. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. [X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) and Survivin suppression on human pancreatic cancer cells Panc-1 proliferation and chemosensitivety].

    PubMed

    Zai, Hong-yan; Yi, Xiao-ping; Li, Yi-xiong; You, Xue-ying; Cao, Li-ping; Liu, Hui

    2013-04-18

    To investigate the effect on cell proliferation and chemosensitivity of human pancreatic cancer cells Panc-1 after X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) and Survivin are inhibited simultaneously, and to compare it with the separate gene suppression strategy by which expression of XIAP or Survivin is inhibited respectively. Panc-1 (Panc-1-X, Panc-1-S and Panc-1-XS) in which expression of XIAP and/or Survivin was inhibited, was established by using XIAP-shRNA lentiviral and Survivin-shRNA lentiviral we had built. The expressions of XIAP and Survivin mRNA and protein were evaluated by Real-time PCR and Semi-quantitatively Western blot analysis; cell proliferation was investigated by cell counting and colony formation assay; cell apoptosis was investigated by Caspase-3/7 activity assay kit and flow cytometry; gemcitabine (Gem) chemosensitivity was investigated by MTT assay. The pancreatic cell line Panc-1 in which the expression of XIAP and/or Survivin was stablely inhibited was successfully established. The cell proliferation of Panc-1-XS cells decreased significantly. The colony formation rate of Panc-1-XS cells (10.12%± 1.33%), was significantly lower than that of Panc-1-XncSnc cells (96.61% ± 7.89%) and Panc-1 cells (100.28% ± 8.97%) respectively (P<0.05). After being treated by 0.5 mg/L Gem for 24 h, the Caspase-3/7 relative activity of Panc-1-XS cells (15.02 ± 0.57) was significantly higher than that of Panc-1 cells and Panc-1-XncSnc cells (8.87 ± 0.19 and 9.05 ± 0.23, respectively; P<0.05); and the rate of apoptosis of Panc-1-XS cells (24.09% ± 2.75%) was significantly higher than that of Panc-1-XncSnc cells and Panc-1 cells (12.09% ± 1.97% and 12.06% ± 1.22%, respectively; P<0.05). The IC50 value of Panc-1-XS cells [(0.47 ± 0.04) mg/L] was significantly lower than that of Panc-1-XncSnc cells [(2.18 ± 0.13) mg/L] and Panc-1 cells [(2.13 ± 0.18) mg/L, P<0.05]. Further testing also showed that, the IC50 value of Panc-1-XS cells [(0.47 ± 0.04) mg/L] was significantly lower than that of Panc-1-X cells [(0.76 ± 0.07) mg/L] and Panc-1-S cells [(0.87 ± 0.09) mg/L, P<0.05]. The cell proliferation of Panc-1 cells was significantly suppressed and the Gem chemosensitivity was significantly enhanced after expressions of XIAP and Survivin were inhibited simultaneously, and significantly better than the strategy in which expressions of XIAP and Survivin were inhibited separately.

  7. In vitro antiproliferative/cytotoxic activity on cancer cell lines of a cardanol and a cardol enriched from Thai Apis mellifera propolis

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Propolis is a complex resinous honeybee product. It is reported to display diverse bioactivities, such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties, which are mainly due to phenolic compounds, and especially flavonoids. The diversity of bioactive compounds depends on the geography and climate, since these factors affect the floral diversity. Here, Apis mellifera propolis from Nan province, Thailand, was evaluated for potential anti-cancer activity. Methods Propolis was sequentially extracted with methanol, dichloromethane and hexane and the cytotoxic activity of each crude extract was assayed for antiproliferative/cytotoxic activity in vitro against five human cell lines derived from duet carcinoma (BT474), undifferentiated lung (Chaco), liver hepatoblastoma (Hep-G2), gastric carcinoma (KATO-III) and colon adenocarcinoma (SW620) cancers. The human foreskin fibroblast cell line (Hs27) was used as a non-transformed control. Those crude extracts that displayed antiproliferative/cytotoxic activity were then further fractionated by column chromatography using TLC-pattern and MTT-cytotoxicity bioassay guided selection of the fractions. The chemical structure of each enriched bioactive compound was analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopy. Results The crude hexane and dichloromethane extracts of propolis displayed antiproliferative/cytotoxic activities with IC50 values across the five cancer cell lines ranging from 41.3 to 52.4 μg/ml and from 43.8 to 53.5 μg/ml, respectively. Two main bioactive components were isolated, one cardanol and one cardol, with broadly similar in vitro antiproliferation/cytotoxicity IC50 values across the five cancer cell lines and the control Hs27 cell line, ranging from 10.8 to 29.3 μg/ml for the cardanol and < 3.13 to 5.97 μg/ml (6.82 - 13.0 μM) for the cardol. Moreover, both compounds induced cytotoxicity and cell death without DNA fragmentation in the cancer cells, but only an antiproliferation response in the control Hs27 cells However, these two compounds did not account for the net antiproliferation/cytotoxic activity of the crude extracts suggesting the existence of other potent compounds or synergistic interactions in the propolis extracts. Conclusion This is the first report that Thai A. mellifera propolis contains at least two potentially new compounds (a cardanol and a cardol) with potential anti-cancer bioactivity. Both could be alternative antiproliferative agents for future development as anti-cancer drugs. PMID:22458642

  8. Chitosan Nanolayered Cisplatin-Loaded Lipid Nanoparticles for Enhanced Anticancer Efficacy in Cervical Cancer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Jing-yi; Wang, Yu; Meng, Xia

    2016-11-01

    In this study, cisplatin (CDDP)-loaded chitosan-coated solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) was successfully formulated to treat HeLa cervical carcinoma. The formulation nanoparticles were nanosized and exhibited a controlled release of drug in physiological conditions. The blank nanoparticles exhibited an excellent biocompatibility profile indicating its suitability for cancer targeting. The incorporation of CDDP in SLN remarkably increased the cancer cell death as evident from the MTT assay. Importantly, CDDP-loaded chitosan-coated SLN (CChSLN) significantly ( P < 0.05) decreased the viability of cancer cells even at low concentration. The higher cytotoxicity potential of CChSLN was attributed to the higher cellular uptake as well as the sustained drug release manner in comparison with CSLN. Consistent with the cytotoxicity assay, CChSLN showed the lowest IC50 value of 0.6125 μg/ml while CSLN presented 1.156 μg/ml. CChSLN showed a significantly higher apoptosis in cancer cells compared to that of CSLN and CDDP, which is attributed to the better internalization of nanocarriers and controlled release of anticancer drugs in the intracellular environment. Our findings suggest that this new formulation could be a promising alternative for the treatment of cervical cancers. These findings are encouraging us to continue our research, with a more extended investigation of cellular response in real time and in animal models.

  9. N-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids shift estrogen signaling to inhibit human breast cancer cell growth.

    PubMed

    Cao, Wenqing; Ma, ZhiFan; Rasenick, Mark M; Yeh, ShuYan; Yu, JiangZhou

    2012-01-01

    Although evidence has shown the regulating effect of n-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) on cell signaling transduction, it remains unknown whether n-3 PUFA treatment modulates estrogen signaling. The current study showed that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5) shifted the pro-survival and proliferative effect of estrogen to a pro-apoptotic effect in human breast cancer (BCa) MCF-7 and T47D cells. 17 β-estradiol (E2) enhanced the inhibitory effect of n-3 PUFAs on BCa cell growth. The IC50 of DHA or EPA in MCF-7 cells decreased when combined with E2 (10 nM) treatment (from 173 µM for DHA only to 113 µM for DHA+E2, and from 187 µm for EPA only to 130 µm for EPA+E2). E2 also augmented apoptosis in n-3 PUFA-treated BCa cells. In contrast, in cells treated with stearic acid (SA, C18:0) as well as cells not treated with fatty acid, E2 promoted breast cancer cell growth. Classical (nuclear) estrogen receptors may not be involved in the pro-apoptotic effects of E2 on the n-3 PUFA-treated BCa cells because ERα agonist failed to elicit, and ERα knockdown failed to block E2 pro-apoptotic effects. Subsequent studies reveal that G protein coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER1) may mediate the pro-apoptotic effect of estrogen. N-3 PUFA treatment initiated the pro-apoptotic signaling of estrogen by increasing GPER1-cAMP-PKA signaling response, and blunting EGFR, Erk 1/2, and AKT activity. These findings may not only provide the evidence to link n-3 PUFAs biologic effects and the pro-apoptotic signaling of estrogen in breast cancer cells, but also shed new insight into the potential application of n-3 PUFAs in BCa treatment.

  10. Sulforaphane inhibits pancreatic cancer through disrupting Hsp90-p50Cdc37 complex and direct interactions with amino acids residues of Hsp90

    PubMed Central

    Li, Yanyan; Karagöz, G. Elif; Seo, Young Ho; Zhang, Tao; Jiang, Yiqun; Yu, Yanke; Duarte, Afonso M.S.; Schwartz, Steven J.; Boelens, Rolf; Carroll, Kate; Rüdiger, Stefan G. D.; Sun, Duxin

    2011-01-01

    Sulforaphane [1-isothiocyanato-4-(methyl-sulfinyl) butane)], an isothiocyanate derived from cruciferous vegetables, has been shown to possess potent chemopreventive activity. We analyzed the effect of sulforaphane on the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells. Sulforaphane inhibited pancreatic cancer cell growth in vitro with the IC50's around 10-15 μM and induced apoptosis. In pancreatic cancer xenograft mouse model, administration of sulforaphane showed remarkable inhibition of tumor growth without apparent toxicity noticed. We found that sulforaphane induced the degradation of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) client proteins and blocked the interaction of Hsp90 with its cochaperone p50Cdc37 in pancreatic cancer cells. Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR) with an isoleucine-specific labeling strategy, we overcame the protein size limit of conventional NMR and studied the interaction of sulforaphane with full-length Hsp90 dimer (170 kDa) in solution. NMR revealed multiple chemical shifts in sheet 2 and the adjacent loop in Hsp90 N-terminal domain after incubation of Hsp90 with sulforaphane. Liquid Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) further mapped a short peptide in this region that was tagged with sulforaphane. These data suggest a new mechanism of sulforaphane that disrupts protein-protein interaction in Hsp90 complex for its chemopreventive activity. PMID:22444872

  11. Apogossypol Derivatives as Pan-active Inhibitors of Anti-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 (Bcl-2) Family Proteins

    PubMed Central

    Wei, Jun; Kitada, Shinichi; Rega, Michele F.; Stebbins, John L.; Zhai, Dayong; Cellitti, Jason; Yuan, Hongbin; Emdadi, Aras; Dahl, Russell; Zhang, Ziming; Yang, Li; Reed, John C.; Pellecchia, Maurizio

    2009-01-01

    Guided by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) binding assays and computational docking studies, a series of 5, 5′ substituted Apogossypol derivatives was synthesized that resulted in potent pan-active inhibitors of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins. Compound 8r inhibits the binding of BH3 peptides to Bcl-XL, Bcl-2, Mcl-1 and Bfl-1 with IC50 values of 0.76, 0.32, 0.28 and 0.73 μM, respectively. The compound also potently inhibits cell growth of human lung cancer and BP3 human B-cell lymphoma cell lines with EC50 values of 0.33 and 0.66 μM, respectively. Compound 8r shows little cytotoxicity against bax−/−bak−/− cells, indicating that it kills cancers cells via the intented mechanism. The compound also displays in vivo efficacy in transgenic mice in which Bcl-2 is overexpressed in splenic B-cells. Together with its improved chemical, plasma and microsomal stability relative to compound 2 (Apogossypol), compound 8r represents a promising drug lead for the development of novel apoptosis-based therapies for cancer. PMID:19555126

  12. Molecularly Characterized Solvent Extracts and Saponins from Polygonum hydropiper L. Show High Anti-Angiogenic, Anti-Tumor, Brine Shrimp, and Fibroblast NIH/3T3 Cell Line Cytotoxicity

    PubMed Central

    Ayaz, Muhammad; Junaid, Muhammad; Ullah, Farhat; Sadiq, Abdul; Subhan, Fazal; Khan, Mir Azam; Ahmad, Waqar; Ali, Gowhar; Imran, Muhammad; Ahmad, Sajjad

    2016-01-01

    Polygonum hydropiper is used as anti-cancer and anti-rheumatic agent in folk medicine. This study was designed to investigate the anti-angiogenic, anti-tumor, and cytotoxic potentials of different solvent extracts and isolated saponins. Samples were analyzed using GC, Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) to identify major and bioactive compounds. Quantitation of antiangiogenesis for the plant's samples including methanolic extract (Ph.Cr), its subsequent fractions; n-hexane (Ph.Hex), chloroform (Ph.Chf), ethyl acetate (Ph.EtAc), n-Butanol (Ph.Bt), aqueous (Ph.Aq), saponins (Ph.Sp) were performed using the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Potato disc anti-tumor assay was performed on Agrobacterium tumefaciens containing tumor inducing plasmid. Cytotoxicity was performed against Artemia salina and mouse embryonic fibroblast NIH/3T3 cell line following contact toxicity and MTT cells viability assays, respectively. The GC–MS analysis of Ph.Cr, Ph.Hex, Ph.Chf, Ph.Bt, and Ph.EtAc identified 126, 124, 153, 131, and 164 compounds, respectively. In anti-angiogenic assay, Ph.Chf, Ph.Sp, Ph.EtAc, and Ph.Cr exhibited highest activity with IC50 of 28.65, 19.21, 88.75, and 461.53 μg/ml, respectively. In anti-tumor assay, Ph.Sp, Ph.Chf, Ph.EtAc, and Ph.Cr were most potent with IC50 of 18.39, 73.81, 217.19, and 342.53 μg/ml, respectively. In MTT cells viability assay, Ph.Chf, Ph.EtAc, Ph.Sp were most active causing 79.00, 72.50, and 71.50% cytotoxicity, respectively, at 1000 μg/ml with the LD50 of 140, 160, and 175 μg/ml, respectively. In overall study, Ph.Chf and Ph.Sp have shown overwhelming results which signifies their potentials as sources of therapeutic agents against cancer. PMID:27065865

  13. Cytotoxic, Antiproliferative and Apoptotic Effects of Perillyl Alcohol and Its Biotransformation Metabolite on A549 and HepG2 Cancer Cell Lines.

    PubMed

    Oturanel, Ceren E; Kıran, İsmail; Özşen, Özge; Çiftçi, Gülşen A; Atlı, Özlem

    2017-01-01

    A monoterpene, perillyl alcohol, has attracted attention in medicinal chemistry since it exhibited chemo-preventive and therapeutic properties against a variety of cancers. In the present work, it was aimed to obtain derivatives of perillyl alcohol through microbial biotransformation and investigate their anticancer activities against A549 and HepG2 cancer cell lines. Biotransformation studies were carried out in a α-medium for 7 days at 25oC. XTT assay was performed to investigate the anticancer activities of perillyl alcohol and its biotransformation metabolite, dehydroperillic acid, against A549 and HepG2 cell lines and their selectivity using healthy cell line, NIH/3T3. Cell proliferation ELISA, BRDU (colorimetric) assay was used for measurement of proliferation in replicative cells in which DNA synthesis occurs. Flow cytometric analyses were also carried out for measuring apoptotic cell percentages, caspase 3 activation and mitochondrial membrane potential. Biotransformation of perillyl alcohol with Fusarium culmorum yielded dehydroperillic acid in a yield of 20.4 %. In in vitro anticancer studies, perillyl alcohol was found to exert cytotoxicity against HepG2 cell line with an IC50 value of 409.2 μg/mL. However, this effect was not found to be selective because of its higher IC50 (250 μg/mL) value against NIH/3T3 cell line. On the other hand, dehydroperillic acid was found to be effective and also selective against A549 cell line with an IC50 value of 125 μg/mL and a selectivity index (SI) value of 400. Apoptosis inducing effects of dehydroperillic acid was better in A549 cell line. Dehydroperillic acid may be a good candidate for therapy of lung adenocarcinoma and may show this anticancer activity by inducing apoptosis. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  14. Tocotrienols target PI3K/Akt signaling in anti-breast cancer therapy.

    PubMed

    Sylvester, Paul W; Ayoub, Nehad M

    2013-09-01

    The PI3K/Akt signaling pathway mediates mitogen-dependent growth and survival in various types of cancer cells, and inhibition of this pathway results in tumor cell growth arrest and apoptosis. Tocotrienols are natural forms of vitamin E that displays potent anticancer activity at treatment doses that had little or no effect on normal cell viability. Mechanistic studies revealed that the anticancer effects of γ-tocotrienol were associated with a suppression in PI3K/Akt signaling. Additional studies showed that cytotoxic LD50 doses of γ-tocotrienol were 3-5-fold higher than growth inhibitory IC50 treatment doses, suggesting that cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects of γ-tocotrienol might be mediated through different mechanisms. However, γ-tocotrienol-induced caspase activation and apoptosis in mammary tumor cells was also found to be associated with suppression in intracellular PI3K/Akt signaling and subsequent down-regulation of FLIP, an endogenous inhibitor of caspase processing and activation. Since breast cancer cells are significantly more sensitive to the inhibitory effects of γ-tocotrienol on PI3K/Akt signaling than normal cells, these findings suggest that γ-tocotrienol may provide significant health benefits in reducing the risk of breast cancer in women. Studies have also shown that combined treatment of γ-tocotrienol with other chemotherapeutic agents can result in a synergistic anticancer response. Combination therapy was most effective when the anticancer mechanism of action of γ-tocotrienol is complimentary to that of the other drug and can provide significant health benefits in the prevention and/or treatment of breast cancer, while at the same time avoiding tumor resistance or toxic effects that is commonly associated with high dose monotherapy.

  15. Cellular uptake and anticancer effects of mucoadhesive curcumin-containing chitosan nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Chuah, Lay Hong; Roberts, Clive J; Billa, Nashiru; Abdullah, Syahril; Rosli, Rozita

    2014-04-01

    Curcumin, which is derived from turmeric has gained much attention in recent years for its anticancer activities against various cancers. However, due to its poor absorption, rapid metabolism and elimination, curcumin has a very low oral bioavailability. Therefore, we have formulated mucoadhesive nanoparticles to deliver curcumin to the colon, such that prolonged contact between the nanoparticles and the colon leads to a sustained level of curcumin in the colon, improving the anticancer effect of curcumin on colorectal cancer. The current work entails the ex vivo mucoadhesion study of the formulated nanoparticles and the in vitro effect of mucoadhesive interaction between the nanoparticles and colorectal cancer cells. The ex vivo study showed that curcumin-containing chitosan nanoparticles (CUR-CS-NP) have improved mucoadhesion compared to unloaded chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NP), suggesting that curcumin partly contributes to the mucoadhesion process. This may lead to an enhanced anticancer effect of curcumin when formulated in CUR-CS-NP. Our results show that CUR-CS-NP are taken up to a greater extent by colorectal cancer cells, compared to free curcumin. The prolonged contact offered by the mucoadhesion of CUR-CS-NP onto the cells resulted in a greater reduction in percentage cell viability as well as a lower IC50, indicating a potential improved treatment outcome. The formulation and free curcumin appeared to induce cell apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells, by arresting the cell cycle at G2/M phase. The superior anticancer effects exerted by CUR-CS-NP indicated that this could be a potential treatment for colorectal cancer. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Equol as a potent radiosensitizer in estrogen receptor-positive and -negative human breast cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Taghizadeh, Bita; Ghavami, Laleh; Nikoofar, Alireza; Goliaei, Bahram

    2015-07-01

    Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer death among women worldwide, and diet plays an important role in its prevention and progression. Radiotherapy has a limited but important role in the management of nearly every stage of breast cancer. We studied whether equol, the major metabolite of the soybean isoflavone daidzein, could enhance radiosensitivity in two human breast cancer cell lines (T47D and MDA-MB-231). MTT assay was used to examine equol's effect on cell viability. Sensitivity of cells to equol, radiation and a combination of both was determined by colonogenic assays. Induction of apoptosis by equol, radiation and the combination of both was also determined by acridine orange/ethidium bromide double staining fluorescence microscopy. DNA strand breaks were assessed by Comet assay. MTT assay showed that equol (0.1-350 μM) inhibited MDA-MB-231 and T47D cell growth in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Treatment of cells with equol for 72 h (MDA-MB-231) and 24 h (T47D) was found to inhibit cell growth with IC50 values of 252 μM and 228 μM, respectively. Furthermore, pretreatment of cells with 50 μM equol for 72 h (MDA-MB-231) and 24 h (T47D) sensitized the cells to irradiation. Equol was also found to enhance radiation-induced apoptosis. Comet assay results showed that the radiosensitizing effect of equol was accompanied by increased radiation-induced DNA damages. These results suggest for the first time that equol can be considered as a radiosensitizing agent and its effects may be due to increasing cell death following irradiation, increasing the remaining radiation-induced DNA damage and thus reducing the surviving fraction of irradiated cells.

  17. Mitochondrial-targeted curcuminoids: a strategy to enhance bioavailability and anticancer efficacy of curcumin.

    PubMed

    Reddy, Cheruku Apoorva; Somepalli, Venkateswarlu; Golakoti, Trimurtulu; Kanugula, Anantha KoteswaraRao; Karnewar, Santosh; Rajendiran, Karthikraj; Vasagiri, Nagarjuna; Prabhakar, Sripadi; Kuppusamy, Periannan; Kotamraju, Srigiridhar; Kutala, Vijay Kumar

    2014-01-01

    Although the anti-cancer effects of curcumin has been shown in various cancer cell types, in vitro, pre-clinical and clinical studies showed only a limited efficacy, even at high doses. This is presumably due to low bioavailability in both plasma and tissues, particularly due to poor intracellular accumulation. A variety of methods have been developed to achieve the selective targeting of drugs to cells and mitochondrion. We used a novel approach by conjugation of curcumin to lipophilic triphenylphosphonium (TPP) cation to facilitate delivery of curcumin to mitochondria. TPP is selectively taken up by mitochondria driven by the membrane potential by several hundred folds. In this study, three mitocurcuminoids (mitocurcuminoids-1, 2, and 3) were successfully synthesized by tagging TPP to curcumin at different positions. ESI-MS analysis showed significantly higher uptake of the mitocurcuminoids in mitochondria as compared to curcumin in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. All three mitocurcuminoids exhibited significant cytotoxicity to MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, SKNSH, DU-145, and HeLa cancer cells with minimal effect on normal mammary epithelial cells (MCF-10A). The IC50 was much lower for mitocurcuminoids when compared to curcumin. The mitocurcuminoids induced significant ROS generation, a drop in ΔØm, cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. They inhibited Akt and STAT3 phosphorylation and increased ERK phosphorylation. Mitocurcuminoids also showed upregulation of pro-apoptotic BNIP3 expression. In conclusion, the results of this study indicated that mitocurcuminoids show substantial promise for further development as a potential agent for the treatment of various cancers.

  18. The Eye Drop Preservative Benzalkonium Chloride Potently Induces Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Preferentially Affects LHON Mutant Cells.

    PubMed

    Datta, Sandipan; Baudouin, Christophe; Brignole-Baudouin, Francoise; Denoyer, Alexandre; Cortopassi, Gino A

    2017-04-01

    Benzalkonium chloride (BAK) is the most commonly used eye drop preservative. Benzalkonium chloride has been associated with toxic effects such as "dry eye" and trabecular meshwork degeneration, but the underlying biochemical mechanism of ocular toxicity by BAK is unclear. In this study, we propose a mechanistic basis for BAK's adverse effects. Mitochondrial O2 consumption rates of human corneal epithelial primary cells (HCEP), osteosarcoma cybrid cells carrying healthy (control) or Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) mutant mtDNA [11778(G>A)], were measured before and after acute treatment with BAK. Mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis and cell viability were also measured in the BAK-treated control: LHON mutant and human-derived trabecular meshwork cells (HTM3). Benzalkonium chloride inhibited mitochondrial ATP (IC50, 5.3 μM) and O2 consumption (IC50, 10.9 μM) in a concentration-dependent manner, by directly targeting mitochondrial complex I. At its pharmaceutical concentrations (107-667 μM), BAK inhibited mitochondrial function >90%. In addition, BAK elicited concentration-dependent cytotoxicity to cybrid cells (IC50, 22.8 μM) and induced apoptosis in HTM3 cells at similar concentrations. Furthermore, we show that BAK directly inhibits mitochondrial O2 consumption in HCEP cells (IC50, 3.8 μM) at 50-fold lower concentrations than used in eye drops, and that cells bearing mitochondrial blindness (LHON) mutations are further sensitized to BAK's mitotoxic effect. Benzalkonium chloride inhibits mitochondria of human corneal epithelial cells and cells bearing LHON mutations at pharmacologically relevant concentrations, and we suggest this is the basis of BAK's ocular toxicity. Prescribing BAK-containing eye drops should be avoided in patients with mitochondrial deficiency, including LHON patients, LHON carriers, and possibly primary open-angle glaucoma patients.

  19. The Eye Drop Preservative Benzalkonium Chloride Potently Induces Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Preferentially Affects LHON Mutant Cells

    PubMed Central

    Datta, Sandipan; Baudouin, Christophe; Brignole-Baudouin, Francoise; Denoyer, Alexandre; Cortopassi, Gino A.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose Benzalkonium chloride (BAK) is the most commonly used eye drop preservative. Benzalkonium chloride has been associated with toxic effects such as “dry eye” and trabecular meshwork degeneration, but the underlying biochemical mechanism of ocular toxicity by BAK is unclear. In this study, we propose a mechanistic basis for BAK's adverse effects. Method Mitochondrial O2 consumption rates of human corneal epithelial primary cells (HCEP), osteosarcoma cybrid cells carrying healthy (control) or Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) mutant mtDNA [11778(G>A)], were measured before and after acute treatment with BAK. Mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis and cell viability were also measured in the BAK-treated control: LHON mutant and human-derived trabecular meshwork cells (HTM3). Results Benzalkonium chloride inhibited mitochondrial ATP (IC50, 5.3 μM) and O2 consumption (IC50, 10.9 μM) in a concentration-dependent manner, by directly targeting mitochondrial complex I. At its pharmaceutical concentrations (107–667 μM), BAK inhibited mitochondrial function >90%. In addition, BAK elicited concentration-dependent cytotoxicity to cybrid cells (IC50, 22.8 μM) and induced apoptosis in HTM3 cells at similar concentrations. Furthermore, we show that BAK directly inhibits mitochondrial O2 consumption in HCEP cells (IC50, 3.8 μM) at 50-fold lower concentrations than used in eye drops, and that cells bearing mitochondrial blindness (LHON) mutations are further sensitized to BAK's mitotoxic effect. Conclusions Benzalkonium chloride inhibits mitochondria of human corneal epithelial cells and cells bearing LHON mutations at pharmacologically relevant concentrations, and we suggest this is the basis of BAK's ocular toxicity. Prescribing BAK-containing eye drops should be avoided in patients with mitochondrial deficiency, including LHON patients, LHON carriers, and possibly primary open-angle glaucoma patients. PMID:28444329

  20. Corchorus olitorius (jute) extract induced cytotoxicity and genotoxicity on human multiple myeloma cells (ARH-77).

    PubMed

    İşeri, Özlem Darcansoy; Yurtcu, Erkan; Sahin, Feride Iffet; Haberal, Mehmet

    2013-06-01

    Corchorus olitorius L. (Malvaceae) has industrial importance in world jute production and is a widely cultivated and consumed crop in Cyprus and in some Arabic countries. The present study investigated cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of leaf extracts (LE) and seed extracts (SE) of the C. olitorius on the multiple myeloma-derived ARH-77 cells. The extracts were also evaluated for their total phenol content (TPC) and free radical scavenging activity (FRSA). C. olitorius was collected from Nicosia, Cyprus. TPC and FRSA were measured by Folin-Ciocalteu and DPPH free radical methods, respectively. Cytotoxicity was evaluated by the MTT assay (4-2048 µg/mL range), and DNA damage (at IC50 and ½IC50) was measured by the comet assay. The LE had significantly higher total phenol (78 mg GAE/g extract) than the SE (2 mg GAE/g extract) with significantly higher FRSA (IC50 LE: 23 µg/mL and IC50 SE: 10 401 µg/mL). Both LE and SE exerted cytotoxic effects on cells after 48 h. The IC50 of SE (17 µg/mL) was lower than LE (151 µg/mL), which demonstrates its higher cytotoxicity on cells. The extracts were applied at 150 and 75 µg/mL for LE and at 17 and 8.5 µg/mL for SE, and the results of the comet assay revealed that the extracts induced genotoxic damage on ARH-77 cells. In both 48 h leaf and seed extract treatments, genotoxic damage significantly increased with increasing concentrations at relevant cytotoxic concentrations. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating the high cytotoxic potential of C. olitorius SE and the genotoxic potential of LE and SE.

  1. Induction of Autophagic Cell Death in Apoptosis-resistant Pancreatic Cancer Cells using Benzo[α]phenoxazines Derivatives, 10-methyl-benzo[α]phenoxazine-5-one and benzo[α]phenoxazine-5-one.

    PubMed

    Pal, Sanjima; Salunke-Gawalib, Sunita; Konkimallaa, V Badireenath

    2017-01-01

    Intrinsic resistance to apoptotic cell death due to co-occurrence of mutated KRAS and p53 is frequently reported in pancreatic cancer that renders them aggressive, highly proliferative and metastatic. In addition, these cancer types are less sensitive to apoptosis inducing drugs where promotion of autophagic cell death could be a viable option for treatment under such circumstances. In this study we examined the potential of three intrinsically fluorescent benzo[α]phenoxazines or BPZs (R=Cl, CH3, H) to induce cytotoxic autophagy in chemo and apoptosis-resistant, KRAS and p53 mutated pancreatic cancer model cell line, MIAPaCa-2. Cells were adapted at in vitro metabolically stressed condition (5% serum) to initiate intrinsic cell survival strategies within. Cell proliferation, colonogenicity, cellular uptake, retention, localization, cellular granularity and presence of both apoptosis and autophagy biomarkers were assessed in BPZ treated/untreated (solvent) cells to validate induction of concentration dependent cytotoxic autophagy and other consequences. For the first time, we report the ability of this class of compounds to accumulate within cells increasing its granularity, inducing death via autophagy. From different kinetics study, it was observed that the autophagic-cell death was dependent on the ligand type, duration of incubation or working concentrations. Among the three BPZ tested, both 3B (benzo[α]phenoxazine-5-one) and 2B (10-methyl-benzo[α] phenoxazine-5-one) induced pro-death autophagy in MIAPaCa-2 cells at an IC50 of 5 μM and 20 μM respectively. Such compounds would be of great interest to explore as novel cytotoxic autophagy inducing agents in apoptosisresistant cancer types.

  2. Efficacious delivery of protein drugs to prostate cancer cells by PSMA-targeted pH-responsive chimaeric polymersomes.

    PubMed

    Li, Xiang; Yang, Weijing; Zou, Yan; Meng, Fenghua; Deng, Chao; Zhong, Zhiyuan

    2015-12-28

    Protein drugs as one of the most potent biotherapeutics have a tremendous potential in cancer therapy. Their application is, nevertheless, restricted by absence of efficacious, biocompatible, and cancer-targeting nanosystems. In this paper, we report that 2-[3-[5-amino-1-carboxypentyl]-ureido]-pentanedioic acid (Acupa)-decorated pH-responsive chimaeric polymersomes (Acupa-CPs) efficiently deliver therapeutic proteins into prostate cancer cells. Acupa-CPs had a unimodal distribution with average sizes ranging from 157-175 nm depending on amounts of Acupa. They displayed highly efficient loading of both model proteins, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and cytochrome C (CC), affording high protein loading contents of 9.1-24.5 wt.%. The in vitro release results showed that protein release was markedly accelerated at mildly acidic pH due to the hydrolysis of acetal bonds in the vesicular membrane. CLSM and MTT studies demonstrated that CC-loaded Acupa10-CPs mediated efficient delivery of protein drugs into PSMA positive LNCaP cells leading to pronounced antitumor effect, in contrast to their non-targeting counterparts and free CC. Remarkably, granzyme B (GrB)-loaded Acupa10-CPs caused effective apoptosis of LNCaP cells with a low half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 1.6 nM. Flow cytometry and CLSM studies using MitoCapture™ revealed obvious depletion of mitochondria membrane potential in LNCaP cells treated with GrB-loaded Acupa10-CPs. The preliminary in vivo experiments showed that Acupa-CPs had a long circulation time with an elimination phase half-life of 3.3h in nude mice. PSMA-targeted, pH-responsive, and chimaeric polymersomes have appeared as efficient protein nanocarriers for targeted prostate cancer therapy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Cytotoxic and apoptotic activities of black widow spiderling extract against HeLa cells

    PubMed Central

    Peng, Xiaozhen; Dai, Zhipan; Lei, Qian; Liang, Long; Yan, Shuai; Wang, Xianchun

    2017-01-01

    Black widow spiders contain toxic components not only in the venom glands but also in other parts of the spider body, including the legs and abdomen. Additionally, both the eggs and newborn spiderlings of the black widow spider contain venom. It is important to investigate their potential effects on cancer cells. In the present study, the effects of newborn black widow spiderling extract on human HeLa cells were evaluated in vitro. When applied at different concentrations, the total extract decreased HeLa cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, with an IC50 value of 158 µg/ml. Flow cytometry indicated that treatment of HeLa cells with the total extract of the spiderlings induced apoptosis in HeLa cells in a dose-dependent manner and led to cell cycle arrest in the S-phase. Additionally, application of the total extract at different concentrations increased apoptosis-related caspase 3 activity in a dose-dependent manner. HeLa cells treated with the total extract appeared to be morphologically changed, exhibiting membrane blebbing, nuclear fragmentation and condensation of chromatin. Further separation and activity screening demonstrated that the cytotoxic and apoptotic activities of the total extract were attributable mainly to its high molecular mass proteins, one of which was purified and characterized to determine its anti-tumor activities on HeLa cells. The results of the present study therefore have expanded understanding regarding the effect of spider toxins on cancer cells and suggested that components of black widow spiderlings may be developed as a promising novel agent to treat cancer. PMID:28587399

  4. Assessment of Cytotoxic Activity of Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), and Ginger (Zingiber officinale R.) Essential Oils in Cervical Cancer Cells (HeLa)

    PubMed Central

    Santos, P. A. S. R.; Avanço, G. B.; Nerilo, S. B.; Marcelino, R. I. A.; Janeiro, V.; Valadares, M. C.

    2016-01-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic activity of rosemary (REO, Rosmarinus officinalis L.), turmeric (CEO, Curcuma longa L.), and ginger (GEO, Zingiber officinale R.) essential oils in HeLa cells. Cytotoxicity tests were performed in vitro, using tetrazolium (MTT) and neutral red assays for evaluation of antiproliferative activity by different mechanisms, trypan blue assay to assess cell viability and evaluation of cell morphology for Giemsa to observe the cell damage, and Annexin V to evaluate cell death by apoptosis. CEO and GEO exhibited potent cytotoxic activity against HeLa cells. IC50 obtained was 36.6 μg/mL for CEO and 129.9 μg/mL for GEO. The morphology of HeLa cells showed condensation of chromatin, loss of cell membrane integrity with protrusions (blebs), and cell content leakage for cells treated with CEO and GEO, from the lowest concentrations studied, 32.81 μg/mL of CEO and 32.12 μg/mL of GEO. The Annexin V assay revealed a profile of cell death by apoptosis for both CEO and GEO. The results indicate cytotoxic activity in vitro for CEO and GEO, suggesting potential use as anticancer agents for cervical cancer cells. PMID:28042599

  5. Decatropis bicolor (Zucc.) Radlk essential oil induces apoptosis of the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line.

    PubMed

    Estanislao Gómez, C C; Aquino Carreño, A; Pérez Ishiwara, D G; San Martín Martínez, E; Morales López, J; Pérez Hernández, N; Gómez García, M C

    2016-08-05

    Decatropis bicolor (Zucc.)Radlk is a plant that has been traditionally used for the treatment of breast cancer in some communities of Mexico. So, the aim of this study was to determine the cytotoxic and apoptotic effect of the essential oil of Decatropis bicolor against breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231. The essential oil obtained from hydrodestillation of leaves of Decatropis bicolor was studied for its biological activity against breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 by MTT assay, Hematoxylin-eosin stain, Annexin V-FITC, TUNEL and western blot assays and for its chemical composition by GC-MS. The results showed a relevant cytotoxic effect of the essential oil towards MDA-MB-231 cells in a dose- and time- dependent manner, with an IC50 of 53.81 ± 1.691 μg/ml but not in the epithelial mammary cell line MCF10A (207.51 ± 3.26 μg/ml). Morphological examination displayed apoptotic characteristics in the treated cells like cell size reduction, membrane blebbing and apoptotic bodies. In addition, the apoptotic rate significantly increased as well as DNA fragmentation and western blot analysis revealed that the essential oil induced apoptosis in the MDA-MB-231 cells via intrinsic pathways due to the activation of Bax, caspases 9 and 3. Phytochemical analysis of the Decatropis bicolor essential oil showed the presence of twenty-three compounds. Major components of the oil were 1,5-cyclooctadiene,3-(methyl-2)propenyl (18.38 %), β-terpineol (8.16 %) and 1-(3-methyl-cyclopent-2-enyl)-cyclohexene (6.12 %). This study suggests that essential oil of Decatropis bicolor has a potential cytotoxic and antitumoral effect against breast cancer cells, with the presence of potential bioactive compounds. Our results contribute to the validation of the anticancer activity of the plant in Mexican traditional medicine.

  6. Structural evidence of the species-dependent albumin binding of the modified cyclic phosphatidic acid with cytotoxic properties.

    PubMed

    Sekula, Bartosz; Ciesielska, Anna; Rytczak, Przemyslaw; Koziołkiewicz, Maria; Bujacz, Anna

    2016-07-01

    Cyclic phosphatidic acids (cPAs) are naturally occurring, very active signalling molecules, which are involved in several pathological states, such as cancer, diabetes or obesity. As molecules of highly lipidic character found in the circulatory system, cPAs are bound and transported by the main extracellular lipid binding protein-serum albumin. Here, we present the detailed interactions between human serum albumin (HSA) and equine serum albumin (ESA) with a derivative of cPA, 1-O-myristoyl-sn-glycerol-2,3-cyclic phosphorodithioate (Myr-2S-cPA). Initial selection of the ligand used for the structural study was made by the analysis of the therapeutically promising properties of the sulfur containing analogues of cPA in respect to the unmodified lysophospholipids (LPLs). Substitution of one or two non-bridging oxygen atoms in the phosphate group with one or two sulfur atoms increases the cytotoxic effect of cPAs up to 60% on the human prostate cancer (PC) cells. Myr-2S-cPA reduces cancer cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, with IC50 value of 29.0 μM after 24 h incubation, which is almost 30% lower than IC50 of single substituted phosphorothioate cPA. Although, the structural homology between HSA and ESA is big, their crystal complexes with Myr-2S-cPA demonstrate significantly different mode of binding of this LPL analogue. HSA binds three molecules of Myr-2S-cPA, whereas ESA only one. Moreover, none of the identified Myr-2S-cPA binding sites overlap in both albumins. © 2016 The Author(s).

  7. Structural evidence of the species-dependent albumin binding of the modified cyclic phosphatidic acid with cytotoxic properties

    PubMed Central

    Sekula, Bartosz; Ciesielska, Anna; Rytczak, Przemyslaw; Koziołkiewicz, Maria; Bujacz, Anna

    2016-01-01

    Cyclic phosphatidic acids (cPAs) are naturally occurring, very active signalling molecules, which are involved in several pathological states, such as cancer, diabetes or obesity. As molecules of highly lipidic character found in the circulatory system, cPAs are bound and transported by the main extracellular lipid binding protein–serum albumin. Here, we present the detailed interactions between human serum albumin (HSA) and equine serum albumin (ESA) with a derivative of cPA, 1-O-myristoyl-sn-glycerol-2,3-cyclic phosphorodithioate (Myr-2S-cPA). Initial selection of the ligand used for the structural study was made by the analysis of the therapeutically promising properties of the sulfur containing analogues of cPA in respect to the unmodified lysophospholipids (LPLs). Substitution of one or two non-bridging oxygen atoms in the phosphate group with one or two sulfur atoms increases the cytotoxic effect of cPAs up to 60% on the human prostate cancer (PC) cells. Myr-2S-cPA reduces cancer cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, with IC50 value of 29.0 μM after 24 h incubation, which is almost 30% lower than IC50 of single substituted phosphorothioate cPA. Although, the structural homology between HSA and ESA is big, their crystal complexes with Myr-2S-cPA demonstrate significantly different mode of binding of this LPL analogue. HSA binds three molecules of Myr-2S-cPA, whereas ESA only one. Moreover, none of the identified Myr-2S-cPA binding sites overlap in both albumins. PMID:27129297

  8. Highly potent artemisinin-derived dimers and trimers: Synthesis and evaluation of their antimalarial, antileukemia and antiviral activities.

    PubMed

    Reiter, Christoph; Fröhlich, Tony; Gruber, Lisa; Hutterer, Corina; Marschall, Manfred; Voigtländer, Cornelia; Friedrich, Oliver; Kappes, Barbara; Efferth, Thomas; Tsogoeva, Svetlana B

    2015-09-01

    New pharmaceutically active compounds can be obtained by modification of existing drugs to access more effective agents in the wake of drug resistance amongst others. To achieve this goal the concept of hybridization was established during the last decade. We employed this concept by coupling two artemisinin-derived precursors to obtain dimers or trimers with increased in vitro activity against Plasmodiumfalciparum 3D7 strain, leukemia cells (CCRF-CEM and multidrug-resistant subline CEM/ADR5000) and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). Dimer 4 (IC50 of 2.6 nM) possess superior antimalarial activity compared with its parent compound artesunic acid(3) (IC50 of 9.0 nM). Dimer5 and trimers6 and 7 display superior potency against both leukemia cell lines (IC50 up to 0.002 μM for CCRF-CEM and IC50 up to 0.20 μM for CEM/ADR5000) and are even more active than clinically used doxorubicin (IC50 1.61 μM for CEM/ADR5000). With respect to anti-HCMV activity, trimer6 is the most efficient hybrid (IC50 0.04 μM) outperforming ganciclovir (IC50 2.6 μM), dihydroartemisinin(IC50 >10 μM) and artesunic acid (IC50 3.8 μM). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Platycodin D induced apoptosis and autophagy in PC-12 cells through mitochondrial dysfunction pathway

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zeng, Chuan-Chuan; Zhang, Cheng; Yao, Jun-Hua; Lai, Shang-Hai; Han, Bing-Jie; Li, Wei; Tang, Bing; Wan, Dan; Liu, Yun-Jun

    2016-11-01

    In this article, the in vitro cytotoxicity of platycodin D was evaluated in human PC-12, SGC-7901, BEL-7402, HeLa and A549 cancer cell lines. PC-12 cells were sensitive to platycodin D treatment, with an IC50 value of 13.5 ± 1.2 μM. Morphological and comet assays showed that platycodin D effectively induced apoptosis in PC-12 cells. Platycodin D increased the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induced a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential. Platycodin D induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase in the PC-12 cell line. Platycodin D can induce autophagy. In addition, platycodin D can down-regulate the expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-x, and up-regulate the levels of Bid protein in the PC-12 cells. The results demonstrated that platycodin D induced PC-12 cell apoptosis through a ROS-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction pathway.

  10. Interaction with biomacromolecules and antiproliferative activities of Mn(II), Ni(II), Zn(II) complexes of demethylcantharate and 2,2'-bipyridine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Fan; Lin, Qiu-Yue; Hu, Wan-Li; Song, Wen-Ji; Shen, Shu-Ting; Gui, Pan

    2013-06-01

    Three new transition metal complexes [Mn2(DCA)2(bipy)2]·5H2O (1), [M2(DCA)2(bipy)2(H2O)]·10H2O(M = Ni(II)(2);Zn(II)(3)), (DCA = demethylcantharate, 7-oxabicyclo[2,2,1]heptane-2,3-dicarboxylate, C8H8O5) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductance, infrared spectra and X-ray diffraction techniques. Each metal ion was six-coordinated in complexes. Complex 1 has a Mn2O2 center. Complexes 2 and 3 have asymmetric binuclear structure. Great amount of intermolecular hydrogen-bonding and π-π* stacking interactions were formed in these complex structures. The DNA-binding properties of complexes were investigated by electronic absorption spectra and viscosity measurements. The DNA binding constants Kb/(L mol-1) were 1.71 × 104 (1), 2.62 × 104 (2) and 1.59 × 104 (3) at 298 K. The complexes could quench the intrinsic fluorescence of bovine serum albumin (BSA) strongly through static quenching. The protein binding constants Ka/(L mol-1) were 7.27 × 104 (1), 4.55 × 104 (2) and 7.87 × 104 L mol-1 (3) and binding site was one. The complexes bind more tightly with DNA and BSA than with ligands. Complexes 1 and 3 had stronger inhibition ratios than Na2(DCA) against human hepatoma cells (SMMC-7721) lines and human gastric cancer cells (MGC80-3) lines in vitro. Complex 3 showed the strongest antiproliferative activity against SMMC-7721 (IC50 = 29.46 ± 2.12 μmol L-1) and MGC80-3 (IC50 = 27.02 ± 2.38 μmol L-1), which shows potential in anti-cancer drug development.

  11. Apoptosis induction in MV4-11 and K562 human leukemic cells by Pereskia sacharosa (Cactaceae) leaf crude extract.

    PubMed

    Asmaa, Mat Jusoh Siti; Al-Jamal, Hamid Ali Nagi; Ang, Cheng Yong; Asan, Jamaruddin Mat; Seeni, Azman; Johan, Muhammad Farid

    2014-01-01

    Pereskia sacharosa is a genus of cacti widely used in folk medicine for cancer-related treatment. Anti-proliferative effects have been studied in recent years against colon, breast, cervical and lung cancer cell lines, with promising results. We here extended study of anti-proliferative effects to a blood malignancy, leukemia. Two leukemic cell lines, MV4-11 (acute myeloid leukemia) and K562 (chronic myeloid leukemia), were studied. IC50 concentrations were determined and apoptosis and cell cycle regulation were studied by flow cytometric analysis. The expression of apoptosis and cell-cycle related regulatory proteins was assessed by Western blotting. P sacharosa inhibited growth of MV4-11 and K562 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The mode of cell death was via induction of intrinsic apoptotic pathways and cell cycle arrest. There was profound up-regulation of cytochrome c, caspases, p21 and p53 expression and repression of Akt and Bcl-2 expression in treated cells. These results suggest that P sacharosa induces leukemic cell death via apoptosis induction and changes in cell cycle checkpoint, thus deserves further study for anti-leukemic potential.

  12. Cytotoxic and Immunomodulatory Potential Activity of Physalis peruviana Fruit Extracts on Cervical Cancer (HeLa) and Fibroblast (L929) Cells

    PubMed Central

    Mier-Giraldo, Helen; Díaz-Barrera, Luis Eduardo; Delgado-Murcia, Lucy Gabriela; Valero-Valdivieso, Manuel Fernando; Cáez-Ramírez, Gabriela

    2017-01-01

    It was purposed to evaluate the biological potential of ethanol and isopropanol crude extracts of ripe Physalis peruviana fruits. Cytotoxic and immunomodulatory effects of the expression of interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) were evaluated on human cervical cancer (HeLa) and murine fibroblast (L929) cells. The composition was evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography diode-array detection and high-performance liquid chromatography ultraviolet/visible detection. The presence of ursolic acid and rosmarinic acid was found in both solvents. However, gallic acid, quercetin, and epicatechin were higher in isopropanol extracts (P < .05). The results indicated a relationship among the total polyphenol content, antioxidant activity, and cytotoxic activity that was dependent on the solvent used. Isopropanol extracts presented a half-maximal inhibition concentration value (IC50) of 60.48 ± 3.8 μg/mL for HeLa cells and 66.62 ± 2.67 μg/mL for L929 fibroblasts. The extracts reduced the release of interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and MCP-1 in a dose-dependent manner. Extracts showed anticancer and immunomodulatory potential for new complementary pharmaceutical products development. PMID:28719984

  13. Overcoming chemotherapy resistance of ovarian cancer cells by liposomal cisplatin: molecular mechanisms unveiled by gene expression profiling.

    PubMed

    Koch, Martin; Krieger, Michaela L; Stölting, Daniel; Brenner, Norbert; Beier, Manfred; Jaehde, Ulrich; Wiese, Michael; Royer, Hans-Dieter; Bendas, Gerd

    2013-04-15

    Previously we reported that liposomal cisplatin (CDDP) overcomes CDDP resistance of ovarian A2780cis cancer cells (Krieger et al., Int. J. Pharm. 389, 2010, 10-17). Here we find that the cytotoxic activity of liposomal CDDP is not associated with detectable DNA platination in resistant ovarian cancer cells. This suggests that the mode of action of liposomal CDDP is different from the free drug. To gain insight into mechanisms of liposomal CDDP activity, we performed a transcriptome analysis of untreated A2780cis cells, and A2780cis cells in response to exposure with IC50 values of free or liposomal CDDP. A process network analysis of upregulated genes showed that liposomal CDDP induced a highly different gene expression profile in comparison to the free drug. p53 was identified as a key player directing transcriptional responses to free or liposomal CDDP. The free drug induced expression of essential genes of the intrinsic (mitochondrial) apoptosis pathway (BAX, BID, CASP9) most likely through p38MAPK activation. In contrast, liposomal CDDP induced expression of genes from DNA damage pathways and several genes of the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis (TNFRSF10B-DR5, CD70-TNFSF7). It thus appears that liposomal CDDP overcomes CDDP resistance by inducing DNA damage and in consequence programmed cell death by the extrinsic pathway. Predictions from gene expression data with respect to apoptosis activation were confirmed at the protein level by an apoptosis antibody array. This sheds new light on liposomal drug carrier approaches in cancer and suggests liposomal CDDP as promising strategy for the treatment of CDDP resistant ovarian carcinomas. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. [Inhibitory effect of exogenous insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 on proliferation of human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-453 and its mechanism].

    PubMed

    Yuan, Lei; Fan, Wen-Juan; Yang, Xu-Guang; Rao, Shu-Mei; Song, Jin-Ling; Song, Guo-Hua

    2013-10-25

    The present study was to investigate the effects of exogenous insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) on the proliferation of human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-453 and its possible mechanism. By means of MTT method in vitro, the results showed exogenous IGFBP7 inhibited the growth of MDA-MB-453 cells (IC50 of IGFBP7 = 8.49 μg/mL) in time- and concentration-dependent manner. SB203580, p38(MAPK) inhibitor, blocked the anti-proliferative effect of exogenous IGFBP7. The flow cytometry assay showed that exogenous IGFBP7 remarkably induced G0/G1 arrest in MDA-MB-453 cells. The Western blot showed that exogenous IGFBP7 promoted phosphorylation of p38(MAPK), up-regulated expression of p21(CIP1/WAF1), and inhibited phosphorylation of Rb. SB203580 restrained exogenous IGFBP7-induced regulation of p21(CIP1/WAF1) and p-Rb in MDA-MB-453 cells. In conclusion, the present study suggests that exogenous IGFBP7 could activate the p38(MAPK) signaling pathway, upregulate p21(CIP1/WAF1) expression, inhibit phosphorylation of Rb, and finally induce G0/G1 arrest in MDA-MB-453 cells.

  15. Folate Receptor-targeted Bioflavonoid Genistein-loaded Chitosan Nanoparticles for Enhanced Anticancer Effect in Cervical Cancers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cai, Limei; Yu, Rufen; Hao, Xi; Ding, Xiangcui

    2017-08-01

    In this study, novel folic acid-conjugated chitosan nanoparticle was formulated for specific delivery of bioflavonoid, Genistein (GEN), to the cervical cancer cells. The prepared GEN-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (GCN) and folic acid-conjugated GCN (FGCN) showed smaller size with a controlled drug release profile. FGCN exhibited enhanced internalization potential in HeLa cells than that of GCN. The specific internalization of FGCN was mainly due to the affinity of folic acid (FA) with FRs-α which is present in large numbers in HeLa cells. The results revealed that FGCN has a specific affinity towards HeLa cells that will contribute to the better treatment. Folic acid-tagged nanoformulations exhibited a superior cytotoxic effect compared to that of non-targeted formulations. Consistently, IC50 value of GEN decreased from 33.8 to 14.6 μg/ml when treated with FGCN after 24 h incubation. The apoptosis studies indicated that the FGCN nanoparticles were then either GCN or free GEN in terms of anticancer activity. Overall, results revealed that folate conjugation to the delivery system might have great effect on the survival of cervical cancers that will be beneficial for overall cancer treatment.

  16. MAZ-binding G4-decoy with locked nucleic acid and twisted intercalating nucleic acid modifications suppresses KRAS in pancreatic cancer cells and delays tumor growth in mice

    PubMed Central

    Cogoi, Susanna; Zorzet, Sonia; Rapozzi, Valentina; Géci, Imrich; Pedersen, Erik B.; Xodo, Luigi E.

    2013-01-01

    KRAS mutations are primary genetic lesions leading to pancreatic cancer. The promoter of human KRAS contains a nuclease-hypersensitive element (NHE) that can fold in G4-DNA structures binding to nuclear proteins, including MAZ (myc-associated zinc-finger). Here, we report that MAZ activates KRAS transcription. To knockdown oncogenic KRAS in pancreatic cancer cells, we designed oligonucleotides that mimic one of the G-quadruplexes formed by NHE (G4-decoys). To increase their nuclease resistance, two locked nucleic acid (LNA) modifications were introduced at the 3′-end, whereas to enhance the folding and stability, two polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon units (TINA or AMANY) were inserted internally, to cap the quadruplex. The most active G4-decoy (2998), which had two para-TINAs, strongly suppressed KRAS expression in Panc-1 cells. It also repressed their metabolic activity (IC50 = 520 nM), and it inhibited cell growth and colony formation by activating apoptosis. We finally injected 2998 and control oligonucleotides 5153, 5154 (2 nmol/mouse) intratumorally in SCID mice bearing a Panc-1 xenograft. After three treatments, 2998 reduced tumor xenograft growth by 64% compared with control and increased the Kaplan–Meier median survival time by 70%. Together, our data show that MAZ-specific G4-decoys mimicking a KRAS quadruplex are promising for pancreatic cancer therapy. PMID:23471001

  17. Influence of polyphenol extract from evening primrose (Oenothera paradoxa) seeds on human prostate and breast cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Lewandowska, Urszula; Owczarek, Katarzyna; Szewczyk, Karolina; Podsędek, Anna; Koziołkiewicz, Maria; Hrabec, Elżbieta

    2014-02-03

    There is growing interest in plant polyphenols which exhibit pleiotropic biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer effects. The objective of our study was to evaluate the influence of an evening primrose extract (EPE) from defatted seeds on viability and invasiveness of three human cell lines: PNT1A (normal prostate cells), DU145 (prostate cancer cells) and MDA-MB-231 (breast cancer cells). The results revealed that after 72 h of incubation the tested extract reduced the viability of DU 145 and MDA-MB-231 with IC50 equal to 14.5 μg/mL for both cell lines. In contrast, EPE did not inhibit the viability of normal prostate cells. Furthermore, EPE reduced PNT1A and MDA-MB-231 cell invasiveness; at the concentration of 21.75 μg/mL the suppression of invasion reached 92% and 47%, respectively (versus control). Additionally, zymographic analysis revealed that after 48 h of incubation EPE inhibited metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) activities in a dose-dependent manner. For PNT1A the activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 decreased 4- and 2-fold, respectively, at EPE concentration of 29 μg/mL. In the case of MDA-MB-231 and DU 145 the decrease in MMP-9 activity at EPE concentration of 29 μg/mL was 5.5-fold and almost 1.9-fold, respectively. In conclusion, this study suggests that EPE may exhibit antimigratory, anti-invasive and antimetastatic potential towards prostate and breast cancer cell lines.

  18. Masitinib Combined with Standard Gemcitabine Chemotherapy: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies in Human Pancreatic Tumour Cell Lines and Ectopic Mouse Model

    PubMed Central

    Humbert, Martine; Castéran, Nathalie; Letard, Sébastien; Hanssens, Katia; Iovanna, Juan; Finetti, Pascal; Bertucci, François; Bader, Thomas; Mansfield, Colin D.; Moussy, Alain; Hermine, Olivier; Dubreuil, Patrice

    2010-01-01

    Background Tyrosine kinases are attractive targets for pancreatic cancer therapy because several are over-expressed, including PDGFRα/β, FAK, Src and Lyn. A critical role of mast cells in the development of pancreatic cancer has also been reported. Masitinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that selectively targets c-Kit, PDGFRα/β, Lyn, and to a lesser extent the FAK pathway, without inhibiting kinases of known toxicities. Masitinib is particularly efficient in controlling the proliferation, differentiation and degranulation of mast cells. This study evaluates the therapeutic potential of masitinib in pancreatic cancer, as a single agent and in combination with gemcitabine. Methodology/Findings Proof-of-concept studies were performed in vitro on human pancreatic tumour cell lines and then in vivo using a mouse model of human pancreatic cancer. Molecular mechanisms were investigated via gene expression profiling. Masitinib as a single agent had no significant antiproliferative activity while the masitinib/gemcitabine combination showed synergy in vitro on proliferation of gemcitabine-refractory cell lines Mia Paca2 and Panc1, and to a lesser extent in vivo on Mia Paca2 cell tumour growth. Specifically, masitinib at 10 µM strongly sensitised Mia Paca2 cells to gemcitabine (>400-fold reduction in IC50); and moderately sensitised Panc1 cells (10-fold reduction). Transcriptional analysis identified the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway as down-regulated in the cell lines resensitised by the masitinib/gemcitabine combination. Conclusions These data establish proof-of-concept that masitinib can sensitise gemcitabine-refractory pancreatic cancer cell lines and warrant further in vivo investigation. Indeed, such an effect has been recently observed in a phase 2 clinical study of patients with pancreatic cancer who received a masitinib/gemcitabine combination. PMID:20209107

  19. F14512, a potent antitumor agent targeting topoisomerase II vectored into cancer cells via the polyamine transport system.

    PubMed

    Barret, Jean-Marc; Kruczynski, Anna; Vispé, Stéphane; Annereau, Jean-Philippe; Brel, Viviane; Guminski, Yves; Delcros, Jean-Guy; Lansiaux, Amélie; Guilbaud, Nicolas; Imbert, Thierry; Bailly, Christian

    2008-12-01

    The polyamine transport system (PTS) is an energy-dependent machinery frequently overactivated in cancer cells with a high demand for polyamines. We have exploited the PTS to selectively deliver a polyamine-containing drug to cancer cells. F14512 combines an epipodophyllotoxin core-targeting topoisomerase II with a spermine moiety introduced as a cell delivery vector. The polyamine tail supports three complementary functions: (a) facilitate formulation of a water-soluble compound, (b) increase DNA binding to reinforce topoisomerase II inhibition, and (c) facilitate selective uptake by tumor cells via the PTS. F14512 is 73-fold more cytotoxic to Chinese hamster ovary cells compared with CHO-MG cells with a reduced PTS activity. A decreased sensitivity of L1210 leukemia cells to F14512 was observed in the presence of putrescine, spermidine, and spermine. In parallel, the spermine moiety considerably enhances the drug-DNA interaction, leading to a reinforced inhibition of topoisomerase II. The spermine tail of F14512 serves as a cell delivery vehicle as well as a DNA anchor, and this property translates at the cellular level into a distinct pharmacologic profile. Twenty-nine human solid or hematologic cell lines were used to characterize the high cytotoxic potential of F14512 (median IC50 of 0.18 micromol/L). Finally, the potent antitumor activity of F14512 in vivo was evidenced with a MX1 human breast tumor xenograft model, with partial and complete tumor regressions. This work supports the clinical development of F14512 as a novel targeted cytotoxic drug and sheds light on the concept of selective delivery of drugs to tumor cells expressing the PTS.

  20. New eremophilane-type sesquiterpenes from an Antarctic deepsea derived fungus, Penicillium sp. PR19 N-1.

    PubMed

    Lin, Aiqun; Wu, Guangwei; Gu, Qianqun; Zhu, Tianjiao; Li, Dehai

    2014-07-01

    Chemical investigation of an Antarctic deepsea derived fungus Penicillium sp. PR19 N-1 yielded five new eremophilane-type sesquiterpenes 1–5 and a new rare lactam-type eremophilane 6, together with three known compounds 7–9. The structures of these diverse sesquiterpenes were determined by extensive NMR and mass spectroscopic analyses. Compounds 1, 2, 4–6, 8 and 9 were evaluated for their cytotoxities against HL-60 and A-549 human cancer cell lines, and 5 was the most active one with IC50 value of 5.2 lM against the A-549 cells.

  1. A novel uPAg-KPI fusion protein inhibits the growth and invasion of human ovarian cancer cells in vitro.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Li-Ping; Xu, Tian-Min; Kan, Mu-Jie; Xiao, Ye-Chen; Cui, Man-Hua

    2016-05-01

    Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) acts by breaking down the basement membrane and is involved in cell proliferation, migration and invasion. These actions are mediated by binding to the uPA receptor (uPAR) via its growth factor domain (GFD). The present study evaluated the effects of uPAg-KPI, a fusion protein of uPA-GFD and a kunitz protease inhibitor (KPI) domain that is present in the amyloid β-protein precursor. Using SKOV-3 cells, an ovarian cancer cell line, we examined cell viability, migration, invasion and also protein expression. Furthermore, we examined wound healing, and migration and invasion using a Transwell assay. Our data showed that uPAg-KPI treatment reduced the viability of ovarian cancer SKOV-3 cells in both a concentration and time-dependent manner by arresting tumor cells at G1/G0 phase of the cell cycle. The IC50 of uPAg-KPI was 0.5 µg/µl after 48 h treatment. At this concentration, uPAg-KPI also inhibited tumor cell colony formation, wound closure, as well as cell migration and invasion capacity. At the protein level, western blot analysis demonstrated that uPAg-KPI exerted no significant effect on the expression of total extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/ERK2 and AKT, whereas it suppressed levels of phosphorylated ERK1/ERK2 and AKT. Thus, we suggest that this novel uPAg-KPI fusion protein reduced cell viability, colony formation, wound healing and the invasive ability of human ovarian cancer SKOV-3 cells in vitro by regulating ERK and AKT signaling. Further studies using other cell lines will confirm these findings.

  2. Metallic copper nanoparticles induce apoptosis in a human skin melanoma A-375 cell line

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chakraborty, Ruchira; Basu, Tarakdas

    2017-03-01

    In two earlier communications (Chatterjee et al 2012 Nanotechnology 23 085103, Chatterjee et al 2014 Nanotechnology 25 135101), we reported the development of a simple and unique method of synthesizing highly stable metallic copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) with high antibacterial activity. Here we report on the cytotoxic potency of the NPs against cancer cells. The value of the IC50 dose of the Cu NPs against human skin cancer cell A-375 was found to be 1.71 μg ml-1 only, which was much less than values reported so far, and this concentration had no cytotoxic effect on normal white blood cells. The NPs caused (i) lowering of cell membrane rigidity, (ii) DNA degradation, (iii) chromosomal condensation, (iv) cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase, (v) depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane and (vi) apoptosis of cells. Cellular apoptosis occurred in the caspase-9-mediated intrinsic pathway. This study revealed that our Cu NPs had high anticancer properties by killing tumor cells through the apoptotic pathway. Since this particle has high antibacterial activity, our Cu NPs might be developed in future as a dual action drug—anticancer as well as antibacterial.

  3. LDR reverses DDP resistance in ovarian cancer cells by affecting ERCC-1, Bcl-2, Survivin and Caspase-3 expressions.

    PubMed

    Ju, Xingyan; Yu, Hongsheng; Liang, Donghai; Jiang, Tao; Liu, Yuanwei; Chen, Ling; Dong, Qing; Liu, Xiaoran

    2018-06-01

    Ovarian cancer is the most frequent cause of death resulting from malignant gynecological tumors. After surgical intervention, cisplatin (DDP) is a major chemotherapy drug for ovarian cancer, but the ovarian cancer cells tend to develop DDP resistance in the clinical setting. Tumor cells are sensitive to low-dose radiation (LDR). However, how the LDR therapy improves the effects of chemotherapy drugs on ovarian cancer is not well understood. This study aimed to explore this issue. The SKOV3/DDP cells were divided into 3 groups, including low-dose group, conventional-dose group, and control group (no radiation). Cell counting kit-8 assay was performed to measure cell proliferation. Flow cytometric analysis was then utilized to quantify the apoptosis with classical Annexin V/propidium iodide co-staining. And Real-time quantitative PCR and western blot were eventually used to analyze the mRNA and protein levels of excision repair cross complementing-group 1 (ERCC1), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), Survivin and Caspase-3, respectively. The IC50 value of DDP in the low-dose group was significantly lower compared with the other two groups. Compared with the conventional-dose group and control group, LDR treatment resulted in significantly more apoptosis. Besides, LDR treatment significantly decreased the mRNA and protein expression of ERCC1, Bcl-2, and Survivin, and enhanced the mRNA and protein expression of Caspase-3 compared with the other two groups. LDR reversed DDP resistance in SKOV3/DDP cells possibly by suppressing ERCC1, Bcl-2, and Survivin expressions, and increasing Caspase-3 expression. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  4. Synthesis, Characterization, Anticancer and Antibacterial Activity of Some Novel Pyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidinone Carbonitrile Derivatives.

    PubMed

    Aremu, Oluwole S; Gopaul, Kaalin; Kadam, Pramod; Singh, Moganavelli; Mocktar, Chunderika; Singh, Parvesh; Koorbanally, Neil A

    2017-01-01

    Pyrimidines have widespread activity and have shown potent antibacterial and anticancer activity. To synthesise a range of pyrimidine diones and test them for their antibacterial and anticancer activity. The pyranopyrimidin-2,4-dione derivatives (1-7) were synthesized in a one-pot reaction by reacting malononitrile and barbituric acid with several aromatic aldehydes in the presence of 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) in aqueous medium. The compounds were tested for their antibacterial activity using the broth microdilution method and for their cytotoxicity against three cell lines, HeLa (cervical cancer), Caco-2 (human colon adenocarcinoma) and HEK 293 (human embryonic kidney cells) using the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. Compounds 1-7 were successfully synthesized in yields of >90%. The 3,4-dihydroxyaryl (3) and the 2,5- dimethoxyaryl (7) derivatives were novel. Compounds 3, 5 (4'-methoxy derivative) and 6 (2',3'-dimethoxy derivative) showed antibacterial activity comparable to or better than the standard ampicillin. All the test compounds 1-7 showed good anticancer activity. The IC50 values ranged from 3.46 to 37.13 μM (HeLa); 136.78 to 297.05 μM (Caco-2) and 137.84 to 333.81 μM (HEK293). The best activity was seen in the HeLa cell line when compared to the standard 5FU (5-Fluorouracil IC50 of 41.85 μM), with 1, 2, 5 and 7 having IC50 values of 10.64, 3.46, 4.36 and 4.44 μM respectively. Additionally, two representative compounds (1 and 7) found to be potent against the two cell lines (HeLa and HEK 293) were docked into the binding site of human kinesin Eg5 with the aim of predicting their binding propensities and to establish their mechanism of action. The Lipinski parameters of these compounds were also computed and analysed for their drug-likeness. Compound 6 is an excellent candidate for a broad spectrum antibiotic with MBCs of 45.6-365.2 μM, while both 3 and 6 have the potential to be developed into an antibiotic against MRSA, with MBCs of 183-199 μM. Since all synthesized compounds showed IC50 values of 10 μM or less especially against the HeLa cells, they can be considered good lead compounds for anticancer agents. Additionally, the docking simulations suggested a good binding affinity of the compounds with Eg5 and indicated their anti-cancer action, at least partially, through its inhibition. The predicted Lipinski descriptors also indicated the potential of these compounds as an orally active drug. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  5. Chemical Composition and Anti-Inflammatory, Cytotoxic and Antioxidant Activities of Essential Oil from Leaves of Mentha piperita Grown in China.

    PubMed

    Sun, Zhenliang; Wang, Huiyan; Wang, Jing; Zhou, Lianming; Yang, Peiming

    2014-01-01

    The chemical composition, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic and antioxidant activities of essential oil from leaves of Mentha piperita (MEO) grown in China were investigated. Using GC-MS analysis, the chemical composition of MEO was characterized, showing that it was mainly composed of menthol, menthone and menthy acetate. MEO exhibited potent anti-inflammatory activities in a croton oil-induced mouse ear edema model. It could also effectively inhibit nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages. The cytotoxic effect was assessed against four human cancer cells. MEO was found to be significantly active against human lung carcinoma SPC-A1, human leukemia K562 and human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells, with an IC50 value of 10.89, 16.16 and 38.76 µg/ml, respectively. In addition, MEO had moderate antioxidant activity. The results of this study may provide an experimental basis for further systematic research, rational development and clinical utilization of peppermint resources.

  6. Chemical Composition and Anti-Inflammatory, Cytotoxic and Antioxidant Activities of Essential Oil from Leaves of Mentha piperita Grown in China

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Jing; Zhou, Lianming; Yang, Peiming

    2014-01-01

    The chemical composition, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic and antioxidant activities of essential oil from leaves of Mentha piperita (MEO) grown in China were investigated. Using GC-MS analysis, the chemical composition of MEO was characterized, showing that it was mainly composed of menthol, menthone and menthy acetate. MEO exhibited potent anti-inflammatory activities in a croton oil-induced mouse ear edema model. It could also effectively inhibit nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages. The cytotoxic effect was assessed against four human cancer cells. MEO was found to be significantly active against human lung carcinoma SPC-A1, human leukemia K562 and human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells, with an IC50 value of 10.89, 16.16 and 38.76 µg/ml, respectively. In addition, MEO had moderate antioxidant activity. The results of this study may provide an experimental basis for further systematic research, rational development and clinical utilization of peppermint resources. PMID:25493616

  7. [Effect of silencing Bmi-1 expression in reversing cisplatin resistance in lung cancer cells and its mechanism].

    PubMed

    Mao, Nan; He, Guansheng; Rao, Jinjun; Lv, Lin

    2014-06-01

    To investigate the effect of silencing Bmi-1 expression in reversing cisplatin resistance in human lung cancer cells and explore the possible mechanisms. Cisplatin-resistant A549/DDP cells with small interference RNA (siRNA)-mediated Bmi-1 expression silencing were examined for cisplatin sensitivity using MTT assay and alterations in cell cycle distribution and apoptosis with flow cytometry, and the changes in cell senescence was assessed using β-galactosidase staining. The protein expressions of Bmi-1, P14(ARF), P16(INK4a), P53, P21, Rb and ubi-H2AK119 in the cells were determined with Western blotting. A549/DDP cells showed significantly higher Bmi-1 expression than A549 cells. After siRNA-mediated Bmi-1 silencing, A549/DDP cells showed significantly enhanced cisplatin sensitivity with an increased IC50 from 40.3±4.1 µmol/L to 18.3±2.8 µmol/L (P<0.01) and increased cell percentage in G0/G1 phase from (48.9±2.3)% to (78.7±7.6)% (P<0.01). Silencing Bmi-1 did not cause significant changes in the cell apoptosis rate but induced obvious senescence phenotype in A549/DDP cells with down-regulated expression of ubi-H2AK119 and up-regulated expressions of P14(ARF), P16(INK4a), P53, P21 and Rb. Silencing Bmi-1 by RNA interference can induce cell senescence and resensitize A549/DDP cells to cisplatin possibly by regulating INK4a/ARF/Rb senescence pathway.

  8. Cytotoxic activities of Coriolus versicolor (Yunzhi) extract on human leukemia and lymphoma cells by induction of apoptosis.

    PubMed

    Lau, C B S; Ho, C Y; Kim, C F; Leung, K N; Fung, K P; Tse, T F; Chan, H H L; Chow, M S S

    2004-07-02

    Coriolus versicolor (CV), also known as Yunzhi, is one of the commonly used Chinese medicinal herbs. Although recent studies have demonstrated its antitumour activities on cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, the exact mechanism is not fully elucidated. Hence, the objective of this study was to examine the in vitro cytotoxic activities of a standardized aqueous ethanol extract prepared from Coriolus versicolor on a B-cell lymphoma (Raji) and two human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60, NB-4) cell lines using a MTT cytotoxicity assay, and to test whether the mechanism involves induction of apoptosis. Cell death ELISA was employed to quantify the nucleosome production resulting from nuclear DNA fragmentation during apoptosis. The present results demonstrated that CV extract at 50 to 800 microg/ml dose-dependently suppressed the proliferation of Raji, NB-4, and HL-60 cells by more than 90% (p < 0.01), with ascending order of IC50 values: HL-60 (147.3 +/- 15.2 microg/ml), Raji (253.8 +/- 60.7 microg/ml) and NB-4 (269.3 +/- 12.4 microg/ml). The extract however did not exert any significant cytotoxic effect on normal liver cell line WRL (IC50 > 800 microg/ml) when compared with a chemotherapeutic anticancer drug, mitomycin C (MMC), confirming the tumour-selective cytotoxicity. Nucleosome productions in HL-60, NB-4 and Raji cells were significantly increased by 3.6-, 3.6- and 5.6-fold respectively upon the treatment of CV extract, while no significant nucleosome production was detected in extract-treated WRL cells. The CV extract was found to selectively and dose-dependently inhibit the proliferation of lymphoma and leukemic cells possibly via an apoptosis-dependent pathway. Copyright 2004 Elsevier Inc.

  9. Evaluation of anti-hepatocarcinoma capacity of puerarin nanosuspensions against human HepG2 cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meng, Xiang-Ping; Zhang, Zhen; Wang, Yi-Fei; Wang, Zhi-ping; Chen, Tong-sheng

    2017-02-01

    Hepatocarcinoma, a malignant cancer, threaten human life badly. It is a current issue to seek the effective natural remedy from plant to treat cancer due to the resistance of the advanced hepatocarcinoma to chemotherapy. Puerarin (Pue), a major active ingredient in the traditional Chinese medicine Gegen, has a wide range of pharmacological properties and is considered to have anti-hepatocarcinoma effects. However its low oral bioavailability restricts its wide application. In this report, Pue nanosuspension (Pue-NS) composed of Pue and poloxamer 188 was prepared by high pressure homogenization technique. The in vitro anti-hepatocarcinoma effects of Pue-NS relative to efficacy of bulk Pue were evaluated. The particle size and zeta potential of Pue-NS were 218.5 nm and -18.8 mV, respectively. MTT assay showed that Pue-NS effectively inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells, and the corresponding IC50 values of Pue-NS and bulk Pue were 3.39 and 5.73 μg/ml. These results suggest that the delivery of Pue-NS is a promising approach for treating tumors.

  10. Btk Inhibitor RN983 Delivered by Dry Powder Nose-only Aerosol Inhalation Inhibits Bronchoconstriction and Pulmonary Inflammation in the Ovalbumin Allergic Mouse Model of Asthma.

    PubMed

    Phillips, Jonathan E; Renteria, Lorena; Burns, Lisa; Harris, Paul; Peng, Ruoqi; Bauer, Carla M T; Laine, Dramane; Stevenson, Christopher S

    2016-06-01

    In allergen-induced asthma, activated mast cells start the lung inflammatory process with degranulation, cytokine synthesis, and mediator release. Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) activity is required for the mast cell activation during IgE-mediated secretion. This study characterized a novel inhaled Btk inhibitor RN983 in vitro and in ovalbumin allergic mouse models of the early (EAR) and late (LAR) asthmatic response. RN983 potently, selectively, and reversibly inhibited the Btk enzyme. RN983 displayed functional activities in human cell-based assays in multiple cell types, inhibiting IgG production in B-cells with an IC50 of 2.5 ± 0.7 nM and PGD2 production from mast cells with an IC50 of 8.3 ± 1.1 nM. RN983 displayed similar functional activities in the allergic mouse model of asthma when delivered as a dry powder aerosol by nose-only inhalation. RN983 was less potent at inhibiting bronchoconstriction (IC50(RN983) = 59 μg/kg) than the β-agonist salbutamol (IC50(salbutamol) = 15 μg/kg) in the mouse model of the EAR. RN983 was more potent at inhibiting the antigen induced increase in pulmonary inflammation (IC50(RN983) = <3 μg/kg) than the inhaled corticosteroid budesonide (IC50(budesonide) = 27 μg/kg) in the mouse model of the LAR. Inhalation of aerosolized RN983 may be effective as a stand-alone asthma therapy or used in combination with inhaled steroids and β-agonists in severe asthmatics due to its potent inhibition of mast cell activation.

  11. Btk Inhibitor RN983 Delivered by Dry Powder Nose-only Aerosol Inhalation Inhibits Bronchoconstriction and Pulmonary Inflammation in the Ovalbumin Allergic Mouse Model of Asthma

    PubMed Central

    Renteria, Lorena; Burns, Lisa; Harris, Paul; Peng, Ruoqi; Bauer, Carla M.T.; Laine, Dramane; Stevenson, Christopher S.

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Background: In allergen-induced asthma, activated mast cells start the lung inflammatory process with degranulation, cytokine synthesis, and mediator release. Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) activity is required for the mast cell activation during IgE-mediated secretion. Methods: This study characterized a novel inhaled Btk inhibitor RN983 in vitro and in ovalbumin allergic mouse models of the early (EAR) and late (LAR) asthmatic response. Results: RN983 potently, selectively, and reversibly inhibited the Btk enzyme. RN983 displayed functional activities in human cell-based assays in multiple cell types, inhibiting IgG production in B-cells with an IC50 of 2.5 ± 0.7 nM and PGD2 production from mast cells with an IC50 of 8.3 ± 1.1 nM. RN983 displayed similar functional activities in the allergic mouse model of asthma when delivered as a dry powder aerosol by nose-only inhalation. RN983 was less potent at inhibiting bronchoconstriction (IC50(RN983) = 59 μg/kg) than the β-agonist salbutamol (IC50(salbutamol) = 15 μg/kg) in the mouse model of the EAR. RN983 was more potent at inhibiting the antigen induced increase in pulmonary inflammation (IC50(RN983) = <3 μg/kg) than the inhaled corticosteroid budesonide (IC50(budesonide) = 27 μg/kg) in the mouse model of the LAR. Conclusions: Inhalation of aerosolized RN983 may be effective as a stand-alone asthma therapy or used in combination with inhaled steroids and β-agonists in severe asthmatics due to its potent inhibition of mast cell activation. PMID:27111445

  12. A flavonoid compound from Chrysosplenium nudicaule inhibits growth and induces apoptosis of the human stomach cancer cell line SGC-7901.

    PubMed

    Luo, Yanping; Yu, Hongjuan; Yang, Yunshang; Tian, Weihua; Dong, Kaizhong; Shan, Jinyu; Ma, Xingming

    2016-07-01

    Gastric cancer remains highly prevalent, but treatment options are limited. Natural products have proved to be a rich source of anticancer drugs. Chrysosplenium nudicaule Ledeb. (Saxifragaceae) is a perennial herb that grows in the highlands of China. It has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine to treat digestive diseases for hundreds of years. Recent studies revealed that this herb had anticancer activity, and the flavonoids were speculated to be the effective components. 6,7,3'-Trimethoxy-3,5,4'-trihydroxy flavone (TTF) and 5,4'-dihydroxy-3,6,3'trimethoxy-flavone-7-O-β-d-glucoside (DTFG) are flavonoid compounds isolated from Chrysosplenium nudicaule. This study examined the effect of TTF and DTFG on SGC-7901 human stomach cancer cell in vitro to determine the anticancer and induction of apoptosis properties of TTF. The proliferation of cells treated with 32, 16, 8, 4, and 2 μg/mL of TTF or DTFG for 24, 48, and 72 h was assessed by the MTT assay. After being treated with TTF, the apoptosis of SGC-7901 cells was assessed by acridine orange staining, ultrastructure, electrophoresis of DNA fragmentation, and flow cytometry. Results indicated that TTF inhibited the growth of cancer cells with an IC50 value of 8.33 μg/mL after 72 h incubation. However, DTFG showed no inhibitory effect on the growth of the cancer cell. Further studies on TTF also confirmed that it was able to induce apoptosis of SGC-7901 cells at a concentration as low as 4 μg/mL. The apoptotic effect of TTF makes it a promising candidate for future chemotherapeutic application in treating stomach cancer.

  13. Smad4 re-expression increases the sensitivity to parthenolide in colorectal cancer.

    PubMed

    Li, Xuemei; Yang, Huike; Ke, Jia; Liu, Baoquan; Lv, Xiaohong; Li, Xinlei; Zhang, Yafang

    2017-10-01

    Parthenolide (PT), a sesquiterpene lactone extracted from the plant feverfew, has been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. Although PT has been revealed to markedly inhibit colorectal cancer cell proliferation, the inhibitory effects decrease with administration time. These findings revealed that colorectal cancer cells develop resistance to PT. However, the underlying mechanism is unclear. In the present study we observed significantly low expression of Smad4 in 3 PT-resistant cell lines (HCT‑116/PT, HT-29/PT and Caco-2/PT), which were obtained using in vitro concentration gradient-increased induction, but not in their parental cells. In the present study we used the lentiviral‑mediated transfection method to upregulate Smad4 in resistant colorectal cancer cell lines. Flow cytometry assay was used to assess cell apoptosis. Cell migration was detected using a QCM™ 24-well Fluorimetric Cell Migration Assay kit. Our study showed that Smad4 overexpression notably decreased the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for PT in the 3 PT-resistant cell lines, and improved the inhibitory effects of PT on cell migration and enhanced apoptosis in vitro as well as suppressed xenografted tumors in a PT-resistant colorectal cancer mouse model. Further study by western blotting into the underlying mechanism demonstrated that Smad4 overexpression suppressed the expression of MDR1 in the resistant cells, and resulted in the accumulation of PT, which in turn promoted the expession of caspase-3 and Bax and inhibited the expression of Bcl-2 and the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65. In short, Smad4 re-expression may be crucial for enhancing the sensitivity and reversing the resistance to PT in PT-resistant colorectal cancer cells.

  14. High Performance Liquid Chromatography-mass Spectrometry Analysis of High Antioxidant Australian Fruits with Antiproliferative Activity Against Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Sirdaarta, Joseph; Maen, Anton; Rayan, Paran; Matthews, Ben; Cock, Ian Edwin

    2016-01-01

    Background: High antioxidant capacities have been linked to the treatment and prevention of several cancers. Recent reports have identified several native Australian fruits with high antioxidant capacities. Despite this, several of these species are yet to be tested for anticancer activity. Materials and Methods: Solvent extracts prepared from high antioxidant native Australian fruits were analyzed for antioxidant capacity by the di (phenyl)-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl) iminoazanium free radical scavenging assay. Antiproliferative activities against CaCo2 and HeLa cancer cells were determined by a multicellular tumor spheroid-based cell proliferation assay. Toxicity was determined by Artemia franciscana bioassay. Results: Methanolic extracts of all plant species displayed high antioxidant contents (equivalent to approximately 7–16 mg of vitamin C per gram of fruit extracted). Most aqueous extracts also contained relatively high antioxidant capacities. In contrast, the ethyl acetate, chloroform, and hexane extracts of most species (except lemon aspen and bush tomato) had lower antioxidant contents (below 1.5 mg of vitamin C equivalents per gram of plant material extracted). The antioxidant contents correlated with the ability of the extracts to inhibit proliferation of CaCo2 and HeLa cancer cell lines. The high antioxidant methanolic extracts of all species were potent inhibitors of cell proliferation. The methanolic lemon aspen extract was particularly effective, with IC50 values of 480 and 769 μg/mL against HeLa and CaCo2 cells, respectively. In contrast, the lower antioxidant ethyl acetate and hexane extracts (except the lemon aspen ethyl acetate extract) generally did not inhibit cancer cell proliferation or inhibited to only a minor degree. Indeed, most of the ethyl acetate and hexane extracts induced potent cell proliferation. The native tamarind ethyl acetate extract displayed low-moderate toxicity in the A. franciscana bioassay (LC50 values below 1000 μg/mL). All other extracts were nontoxic. A total of 145 unique mass signals were detected in the lemon aspen methanolic and aqueous extracts by nonbiased high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Of these, 20 compounds were identified as being of particular interest due to their reported antioxidant and/or anticancer activities. Conclusions: The lack of toxicity and antiproliferative activity of the high antioxidant plant extracts against HeLa and CaCo2 cancer cell lines indicates their potential in the treatment and prevention of some cancers. SUMMARY Australian fruit extracts with high antioxidant contents were potent inhibitors of CaCo2 and HeLa carcinoma cell proliferationMethanolic lemon aspen extract was particularly potent, with IC50 values of 480 μg/mL (HeLa) and 769 μg/mL (CaCo2)High-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-quadrupole time-of-flight analysis highlighted and putatively identified 20 compounds in the antiproliferative lemon aspen extractsIn contrast, lower antioxidant content extracts stimulated carcinoma cell proliferationAll extracts with antiproliferative activity were nontoxic in the Artemia nauplii assay. Abbreviations used: DPPH: di (phenyl)- (2,4,6-trinitrophenyl) iminoazanium, HPLC: High-performance liquid chromatography, IC50: The concentration required to inhibit by 50%, LC50: The concentration required to achieve 50% mortality, MS: Mass spectrometry. PMID:27279705

  15. Toward Highly Potent Cancer Agents by Modulating the C-2 Group of the Arylthioindole Class of Tubulin Polymerization Inhibitors

    PubMed Central

    La Regina, Giuseppe; Bai, Ruoli; Rensen, Whilelmina Maria; Di Cesare, Erica; Coluccia, Antonio; Piscitelli, Francesco; Famiglini, Valeria; Reggio, Alessia; Nalli, Marianna; Pelliccia, Sveva; Pozzo, Eleonora Da; Costa, Barbara; Granata, Ilaria; Porta, Amalia; Maresca, Bruno; Soriani, Alessandra; Iannitto, Maria Luisa; Santoni, Angela; Li, Junjie; Cona, Marlein Miranda; Chen, Feng; Ni, Yicheng; Brancale, Andrea; Dondio, Giulio; Vultaggio, Stefania; Varasi, Mario; Mercurio, Ciro; Martini, Claudia; Hamel, Ernest; Lavia, Patrizia; Novellino, Ettore; Silvestri, Romano

    2013-01-01

    New arylthioindole derivatives having different cyclic substituents at position 2 of the indole were synthesized as anticancer agents. Several compounds inhibited tubulin polymerization at submicromolar concentration and inhibited cell growth at low nanomolar concentrations. Compounds 18 and 57 were superior to the previously synthesized 5. Compound 18 was exceptionally potent as an inhibitor of cell growth: it showed IC50 = 1.0 nM in MCF-7 cells, and it was uniformly active in the whole panel of cancer cells and superior to colchicine and combretastatin A-4. Compounds 18, 20, 55, and 57 were notably more potent than vinorelbine, vinblastine, and paclitaxel in the NCI/ADR-RES and Messa/Dx5 cell lines, which overexpress P-glycoprotein. Compounds 18 and 57 showed initial vascular disrupting effects in a tumor model of liver rhabdomyosarcomas at 15 mg/kg intravenous dosage. Derivative 18 showed water solubility and higher metabolic stability than 5 in human liver microsomes. PMID:23214452

  16. A novel uPAg-KPI fusion protein inhibits the growth and invasion of human ovarian cancer cells in vitro

    PubMed Central

    ZHAO, LI-PING; XU, TIAN-MIN; KAN, MU-JIE; XIAO, YE-CHEN; CUI, MAN-HUA

    2016-01-01

    Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) acts by breaking down the basement membrane and is involved in cell proliferation, migration and invasion. These actions are mediated by binding to the uPA receptor (uPAR) via its growth factor domain (GFD). The present study evaluated the effects of uPAg-KPI, a fusion protein of uPA-GFD and a kunitz protease inhibitor (KPI) domain that is present in the amyloid β-protein precursor. Using SKOV-3 cells, an ovarian cancer cell line, we examined cell viability, migration, invasion and also protein expression. Furthermore, we examined wound healing, and migration and invasion using a Transwell assay. Our data showed that uPAg-KPI treatment reduced the viability of ovarian cancer SKOV-3 cells in both a concentration and time-dependent manner by arresting tumor cells at G1/G0 phase of the cell cycle. The IC50 of uPAg-KPI was 0.5 µg/µl after 48 h treatment. At this concentration, uPAg-KPI also inhibited tumor cell colony formation, wound closure, as well as cell migration and invasion capacity. At the protein level, western blot analysis demonstrated that uPAg-KPI exerted no significant effect on the expression of total extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/ERK2 and AKT, whereas it suppressed levels of phosphorylated ERK1/ERK2 and AKT. Thus, we suggest that this novel uPAg-KPI fusion protein reduced cell viability, colony formation, wound healing and the invasive ability of human ovarian cancer SKOV-3 cells in vitro by regulating ERK and AKT signaling. Further studies using other cell lines will confirm these findings. PMID:27035617

  17. Discovery of diethyl 2,5-diaminothiophene-3,4-dicarboxylate derivatives as potent anticancer and antimicrobial agents and screening of anti-diabetic activity: synthesis and in vitro biological evaluation. Part 1.

    PubMed

    Bozorov, Khurshed; Ma, Hai-Rong; Zhao, Jiang-Yu; Zhao, Hai-Qing; Chen, Hua; Bobakulov, Khayrulla; Xin, Xue-Lei; Elmuradov, Burkhon; Shakhidoyatov, Khusnutdin; Aisa, Haji A

    2014-09-12

    Series of diethyl 2,5-diaminothiophene-3,4-dicarboxylate (DDTD) derivatives: azomethines of DDTD (2a-l) have been synthesized and screened for their anticancer, antimicrobial and anti-diabetic activities. The novel synthesized compounds were characterized by (1)H, (13)C NMR, MS and FT-IR analyses. All compounds were evaluated for their antiproliferative activity against three types of cancer cell line such as T47D and MCF-7 (human breast cancer), Hela (human cervical cancer) and Ishikawa (human endometrial cancer) lines. The results showed that most compounds exhibited significant antiproliferative activity against breast cancer cells. The majority of azomethines DDTD influenced strongly against breast cancer cells T47D and MCF-7, among them compounds 2b (2.3 μM), 2c (12.1 μM), 2e (13.2 μM), 2i (14.9 μM), 2j (16.0 μM), 2k (7.1 μM), 2l (8.6 μM) manifest potent anticancer activity against cancer cell T47D than Doxorubicin (DOX, 15.5 μM). Compound 2j has shown potent activity on all three types of cancer cells concurrently and IC50 values were considerably low in comparison with positive control DOX. In addition, all compounds were tested for antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 (Gram positive bacteria), Escherichia coli ATCC 11229 (Gram negative bacteria) and Candida albicans ATCC 10231 (Fungi) strains and 2j which contains in the ring nitrofurfural fragment, showed the highest effect on the three species of microbial pathogens simultaneously. Some compounds induced enzymatic inhibition in a concentration-dependent manner on PTP-1B inhibitor. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  18. P53-miR-191-SOX4 regulatory loop affects apoptosis in breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Shivani; Nagpal, Neha; Ghosh, Prahlad C; Kulshreshtha, Ritu

    2017-08-01

    miRNAs have emerged as key participants of p53 signaling pathways because they regulate or are regulated by p53. Here, we provide the first study demonstrating direct regulation of an oncogenic miRNA, miR-191-5p, by p53 and existence of a regulatory feedback loop. Using a combination of qRT-PCR, promoter-luciferase, and chromatin-immunoprecipitation assays, we show that p53 brings about down-regulation of miR-191-5p in breast cancer. miR-191-5p overexpression brought about inhibition of apoptosis in breast cancer cell lines (MCF7 and ZR-75) as demonstrated by reduction in annexin-V stained cells and caspase 3/7 activity, whereas miR-191-5p down-regulation showed the opposite. We further unveiled that SOX4 was a direct target of miR-191-5p. SOX4 overexpression was shown to increase p53 protein levels in MCF7 cells. miR-191-5p overexpression brought about down-regulation of SOX4 and thus p53 levels, suggesting the existence of a regulatory feedback loop. Breast cancer treatment by doxorubicin, an anti-cancer drug, involves induction of apoptosis by p53; we thus wanted to check whether miR-191-5p affects doxorubicin sensitivity. Interestingly, Anti-miR-191 treatment significantly decreased the IC50 of the doxorubicin drug and thus sensitized breast cancer cells to doxorubicin treatment by promoting apoptosis. Overall, this work highlights the importance of the p53-miR-191- SOX4 axis in the regulation of apoptosis and drug resistance in breast cancer and offers a preclinical proof-of-concept for use of an Anti-miR-191 and doxorubicin combination as a rational approach to pursue for better breast cancer treatment. © 2017 Sharma et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press for the RNA Society.

  19. Development of Long-Circulating pH-Sensitive Liposomes to Circumvent Gemcitabine Resistance in Pancreatic Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Xu, Hongtao; Paxton, James W; Wu, Zimei

    2016-07-01

    To develop pH-sensitive liposomes (PSL) containing a high content of gemcitabine; and to investigate whether drug loading (DL) would alter the in vitro and pharmacokinetic properties. PSL with a high DL were obtained using a modified small-volume incubation method. The DL effects on drug release rate and in vitro cytotoxicity of PSL were evaluated using MIA PaCa-2 pancreatic cancer cells and their pharmacokinetics investigated in rats. The highest DL of 4.5 ± 0.1% was achieved for gemcitabine in PSL with 145 ± 5 nm diameter. DL did not alter the in vitro release rate from PSL. The IC50 (48 h) of PSL (DL 0.5 and 4.5%) and non pH-sensitive liposomes (NPSL, DL 4.2%) were 1.1 ± 0.1, 0.7 ± 0.1 and 37.0 ± 7.5 μM, respectively. The PSL resulted in a 4.2-fold increase in its elimination half-life (6.2 h) compared to gemcitabine solution (1.4 h) in rats. No significant difference in pharmacokinetic parameters was observed between the two PSL (DL 0.5 and 4.5%). The PSL offered advantages over NPSL in restoring the sensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine without requiring a high DL. DL in the PSL did not alter release rate, cytotoxicity or their long-circulating properties. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

  20. Aluminum doping tunes band gap energy level as well as oxidative stress-mediated cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles in MCF-7 cells.

    PubMed

    Akhtar, Mohd Javed; Alhadlaq, Hisham A; Alshamsan, Aws; Majeed Khan, M A; Ahamed, Maqusood

    2015-09-08

    We investigated whether Aluminum (Al) doping tunes band gap energy level as well as selective cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles in human breast cancer cells (MCF-7). Pure and Al-doped ZnO nanoparticles were prepared by a simple sol-gel method. Characterization study confirmed the formation of single phase of Al(x)Zn(1-x)O nanocrystals with the size range of 33-55 nm. Al-doping increased the band gap energy of ZnO nanoparticles (from 3.51 eV for pure to 3.87 eV for Al-doped ZnO). Al-doping also enhanced the cytotoxicity and oxidative stress response of ZnO nanoparticles in MCF-7 cells. The IC50 for undoped ZnO nanoparticles was 44 μg/ml while for the Al-doped ZnO counterparts was 31 μg/ml. Up-regulation of apoptotic genes (e.g. p53, bax/bcl2 ratio, caspase-3 &caspase-9) along with loss of mitochondrial membrane potential suggested that Al-doped ZnO nanoparticles induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells through mitochondrial pathway. Importantly, Al-doping did not change the benign nature of ZnO nanoparticles towards normal cells suggesting that Al-doping improves the selective cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles toward MCF-7 cells without affecting the normal cells. Our results indicated a novel approach through which the inherent selective cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles against cancer cells can be further improved.

  1. Aluminum doping tunes band gap energy level as well as oxidative stress-mediated cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles in MCF-7 cells

    PubMed Central

    Akhtar, Mohd Javed; Alhadlaq, Hisham A.; Alshamsan, Aws; Majeed Khan, M.A.; Ahamed, Maqusood

    2015-01-01

    We investigated whether Aluminum (Al) doping tunes band gap energy level as well as selective cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles in human breast cancer cells (MCF-7). Pure and Al-doped ZnO nanoparticles were prepared by a simple sol-gel method. Characterization study confirmed the formation of single phase of AlxZn1-xO nanocrystals with the size range of 33–55 nm. Al-doping increased the band gap energy of ZnO nanoparticles (from 3.51 eV for pure to 3.87 eV for Al-doped ZnO). Al-doping also enhanced the cytotoxicity and oxidative stress response of ZnO nanoparticles in MCF-7 cells. The IC50 for undoped ZnO nanoparticles was 44 μg/ml while for the Al-doped ZnO counterparts was 31 μg/ml. Up-regulation of apoptotic genes (e.g. p53, bax/bcl2 ratio, caspase-3 & caspase-9) along with loss of mitochondrial membrane potential suggested that Al-doped ZnO nanoparticles induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells through mitochondrial pathway. Importantly, Al-doping did not change the benign nature of ZnO nanoparticles towards normal cells suggesting that Al-doping improves the selective cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles toward MCF-7 cells without affecting the normal cells. Our results indicated a novel approach through which the inherent selective cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles against cancer cells can be further improved. PMID:26347142

  2. Fragment-based drug design and identification of HJC0123, a novel orally bioavailable STAT3 inhibitor for cancer therapy

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Haijun; Yang, Zhengduo; Ding, Chunyong; Chu, Lili; Zhang, Yusong; Terry, Kristin; Liu, Huiling; Shen, Qiang; Zhou, Jia

    2013-01-01

    Fragment-based drug design (FBDD) is a promising approach for the generation of lead molecules with enhanced activity and especially drug-like properties against therapeutic targets. Herein, we report the fragment-based drug design, systematic chemical synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of novel scaffolds as potent anticancer agents by utilizing six privileged fragments from known STAT3 inhibitors. Several new molecules such as compounds 5, 12, and 19 that may act as advanced chemical leads have been identified. The most potent compound 5 (HJC0123) has demonstrated to inhibit STAT3 promoter activity, downregulate phosphorylation of STAT3, increase the expression of cleaved caspase-3, inhibit cell cycle progression and promote apoptosis in breast and pancreatic cancer cells with low micromolar to nanomolar IC50 values. Furthermore, compound 5 significantly suppressed estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer MDA-MB-231 xenograft tumor growth in vivo (p.o.), indicating its great potential as an efficacious and orally bioavailable drug candidate for human cancer therapy. PMID:23416191

  3. Renal Cell Toxicity of Water-Soluble Coal Extracts from the Gulf Coast

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ojeda, A. S.; Ford, S.; Ihnat, M.; Gallucci, R. M.; Philp, P. R.

    2017-12-01

    In the Gulf Coast, many rural residents rely on private well water for drinking, cooking, and other domestic needs. A large portion of this region contains lignite coal deposits within shallow aquifers that potentially leach organic matter into the water supply. It is proposed that the organic matter leached from low-rank coal deposits contributes to the development of kidney disease, however, little work has been done to investigate the toxicity of coal extracts. In this study, human kidney cells (HK-2) were exposed to water-soluble extracts of Gulf Coast Coals to assess toxicity. Cell viability was measured by direct counts of total and necrotic cells. A dose-response curve was used to generate IC50 values, and the extracts showed significant toxicity that ranged from 0.5% w/v to 3% w/v IC50. The most toxic extract was from Louisiana where coal-derived organic material has been previously linked to high incidents of renal pelvic cancer (RPC). Although the toxic threshold measured in this study is significantly higher than the concentration of organic matter in the groundwater, typically <5 mg/L (0.005% w/v), residents in the affected areas may consume contaminated water over a lifetime. It is possible that the cumulative toxic effects of coal-derived material contribute to the development of disease.

  4. Cytotoxic chalcones from some Indonesian Cryptocarya

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kurniadewi, F.; Syah, Y. M.; Juliawaty, L. D.; Hakim, E. H.; Koyama, K.; Kinoshita, K.

    2017-07-01

    Malignant tumors are one of the main causes of death in the world. Until now the search for cytotoxic (antitumor) compounds from nature, particularly from plants, is being a continuation activities. One group of plants that produce potential cytotoxic compounds is the Cryptocarya, one of the large genera of the Lauraceae family. As a part of our chemical and cytotoxic evaluation of the Cryptocarya species, we examined three species of Indonesian Cryptocarya. The sample of the wood of C. konishii hayata was collected from Cibodas Botanical Garden, West Java while the stem bark of C. phoebeopsis and C. cagayanensis were obtained from Sorong, Papua. Our investigation of flavonoid constituents on these species afforded three chalcone compounds i.e. desmethylinfectocaryone (1), infectocaryone (2) and cryptocaryone (3). The molecular structures of the isolated compounds were determined based on spectroscopic data, including UV, IR, 1D and 2D NMR. Cytotoxic effects of the compounds were evaluated using MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay. Compound 1, 2 and 3 displayed strong cytotoxic properties (IC50 < 2 μg/mL) against Murine Leukemia P388 and HL 60 (blood premyelocytic leukemia) cells whereas 2 and 3 exhibited strong cytotoxicity properties against HCT116 (colon cancer). Cryptocaryone (3) also showed moderate cytotoxic properties (IC50 < 10 μg/mL) towards A549 (human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial) cells.

  5. The enhanced inhibitory effect of different antitumor agents in self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems on human cervical cancer HeLa cells.

    PubMed

    Ujhelyi, Zoltán; Kalantari, Azin; Vecsernyés, Miklós; Róka, Eszter; Fenyvesi, Ferenc; Póka, Róbert; Kozma, Bence; Bácskay, Ildikó

    2015-07-21

    The aim of this study was to develop topical self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems (SMEDDS) containing antitumor agents (bleomycin, cisplatin and ifosfamide) and to investigate their inhibitory potential in SMEDDS on human cervical cancer HeLa cells. The physicochemical properties of cytostatic drug loaded SMEDDS were characterized. The cytotoxicity of main components of SMEDDS was also investigated. Their IC50 values were determined. HeLa cells were treated by different concentrations of cisplatin, bleomycin and ifosfamide alone and in various SMEDDS. The inhibitory effect on cell growth was analyzed by MTT cell viability assay. Inflammation is a driving force that accelerates cancer development. The inhibitory effect of these antitumor agents has also been tested on HeLa cells in the presence of inflammatory mediators (IL-1-β, TNF-α) as an in vitro model of inflamed human cervix. Significant differences in the cytotoxicity of cytostatic drugs alone and in SMEDDS have been found in a concentration-dependent manner. The self-micro emulsifying system may potentiate the effectiveness of bleomycin, cisplatin and ifosfamide topically. The effect of SMEDDS containing antitumor agents was decreased significantly in the presence of inflammatory mediators. According to our experiments, the optimal SMEDDS formulation is 1:1:2:6:2 ratios of Isopropyl myristate, Capryol 90, Kolliphor RH 40, Cremophor RH40, Transcutol HP and Labrasol. It can be concluded that SMEDDS may increase the inhibitory effect of bleomycin, ifosfamide and cisplatin on human cervical cancer HeLa cells. Inflammation on HeLa cells hinders the effectiveness of SMEDDS containing antitumor agents. Our results might ensure useful data for development of optimal antitumor formulations.

  6. Aluminum doping tunes band gap energy level as well as oxidative stress-mediated cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles in MCF-7 cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Akhtar, Mohd Javed; Alhadlaq, Hisham A.; Alshamsan, Aws; Majeed Khan, M. A.; Ahamed, Maqusood

    2015-09-01

    We investigated whether Aluminum (Al) doping tunes band gap energy level as well as selective cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles in human breast cancer cells (MCF-7). Pure and Al-doped ZnO nanoparticles were prepared by a simple sol-gel method. Characterization study confirmed the formation of single phase of AlxZn1-xO nanocrystals with the size range of 33-55 nm. Al-doping increased the band gap energy of ZnO nanoparticles (from 3.51 eV for pure to 3.87 eV for Al-doped ZnO). Al-doping also enhanced the cytotoxicity and oxidative stress response of ZnO nanoparticles in MCF-7 cells. The IC50 for undoped ZnO nanoparticles was 44 μg/ml while for the Al-doped ZnO counterparts was 31 μg/ml. Up-regulation of apoptotic genes (e.g. p53, bax/bcl2 ratio, caspase-3 & caspase-9) along with loss of mitochondrial membrane potential suggested that Al-doped ZnO nanoparticles induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells through mitochondrial pathway. Importantly, Al-doping did not change the benign nature of ZnO nanoparticles towards normal cells suggesting that Al-doping improves the selective cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles toward MCF-7 cells without affecting the normal cells. Our results indicated a novel approach through which the inherent selective cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles against cancer cells can be further improved.

  7. Anticancer effects of brominated indole alkaloid Eudistomin H from marine ascidian Eudistoma viride against cervical cancer cells (HeLa).

    PubMed

    Rajesh, Rajaian Pushpabai; Annappan, Murugan

    2015-01-01

    Marine invertebrates called ascidians are prolific producers of bioactive substances. The ascidian Eudistoma viride, distributed along the Southeast coast of India, was investigated for its in vitro cytotoxic activity against human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cells by the MTT assay. The crude methanolic extract of E. viride, with an IC50 of 53 μg/ml, was dose-dependently cytotoxic. It was more potent at 100 μg/ml than cyclohexamide (1 μg/ml), reducing cell viability to 9.2%. Among nine fractions separated by chromatography, ECF-8 exhibited prominent cytoxic activity at 10 μg/ml. The HPLC fraction EHF-21 of ECF-8 was remarkably dose- and time-dependently cytotoxic, with 39.8% viable cells at 1 μg/ml compared to 51% in cyclohexamide-treated cells at the same concentration; the IC50 was 0.49 μg/ml. Hoechst staining of HeLa cells treated with EHF-21 at 0.5 μg/ml revealed apoptotic events such an cell shrinkage, membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation and formation of apoptotic bodies. Cell size and granularity study showed changes in light scatter, indicating the characteristic feature of cells dying by apoptosis. The cell-cycle analysis of HeLa cells treated with fraction EHF-21 at 1 μg/ml showed the marked arrest of cells in G0/G1, S and G2/M phases and an increase in the sub G0/G1 population indicated an increase in the apoptotic cell population. The statistical analysis of the sub-G1 region showed a dose-dependent induction of apoptosis. DNA fragmentation was also observed in HeLa cells treated with EHF-21. The active EHF-21 fraction, a brominated indole alkaloid Eudistomin H, led to apoptotic death of HeLa cells. Copyright© 2015 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

  8. Parallel Solid-Phase Synthesis Using a New Diethylsilylacetylenic Linker and Leading to Mestranol Derivatives with Potent Antiproliferative Activities on Multiple Cancer Cell Lines.

    PubMed

    Dutour, Raphael; Maltais, Rene; Perreault, Martin; Roy, Jenny; Poirier, Donald

    2018-03-07

    RM-133 belongs to a new family of aminosteroid derivatives demonstrating interesting anticancer properties, as confirmed in vivo in four mouse cancer xenograft models. However, the metabolic stability of RM-133 needs to be improved. After investigation, the replacement of its androstane scaffold by a more stable estrane scaffold led to the development of the mestranol derivative RM-581. Using solid-phase strategy involving five steps, we quickly synthesized a series of RM-581 analogs using the recently-developed diethylsilyl acetylenic linker. To establish structure-activity relationships, we then investigated their antiproliferative potency on a panel of cancer cell lines from various cancers (breast, prostate, ovarian and pancreatic). Some of the mestranol derivatives have shown in vitro anticancer activities that are close to, or better than those observed for RM-581. Compound 23, a mestranol derivative having a ((3,5-dimethylbenzoyl)-L-prolyl)piperazine side chain at position C2, was found to be active as an antiproliferative agent (IC50 = 0.38 ± 0.34 to 3.17 ± 0.10 µM) and to be twice as active as RM-581 on LNCaP, PC-3, MCF-7, PANC-1 and OVCAR-3 cancer cells (IC50 = 0.56 ± 0.30, 0.89 ± 0.63, 1.36 ± 0.31, 2.47 ± 0.91 and 3.17 ± 0.10 µM, respectively). Easily synthesized in good yields by both solid-phase organic synthesis and classic solution-phase chemistry, this promising candidate could be used as an antiproliferative agent on a variety of cancers, notably pancreatic and ovarian cancers, both having very bad prognoses. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  9. Metabolomic Profiling of the Effects of Melittin on Cisplatin Resistant and Cisplatin Sensitive Ovarian Cancer Cells Using Mass Spectrometry and Biolog Microarray Technology

    PubMed Central

    Alonezi, Sanad; Tusiimire, Jonans; Wallace, Jennifer; Dufton, Mark J.; Parkinson, John A.; Young, Louise C.; Clements, Carol J.; Park, Jin Kyu; Jeon, Jong Woon; Ferro, Valerie A.; Watson, David G.

    2016-01-01

    In the present study, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was employed to characterise the metabolic profiles of two human ovarian cancer cell lines A2780 (cisplatin-sensitive) and A2780CR (cisplatin-resistant) in response to their exposure to melittin, a cytotoxic peptide from bee venom. In addition, the metabolomics data were supported by application of Biolog microarray technology to examine the utilisation of carbon sources by the two cell lines. Data extraction with MZmine 2.14 and database searching were applied to provide metabolite lists. Principal component analysis (PCA) gave clear separation between the cisplatin-sensitive and resistant strains and their respective controls. The cisplatin-resistant cells were slightly more sensitive to melittin than the sensitive cells with IC50 values of 4.5 and 6.8 μg/mL respectively, although the latter cell line exhibited the greatest metabolic perturbation upon treatment. The changes induced by melittin in the cisplatin-sensitive cells led mostly to reduced levels of amino acids in the proline/glutamine/arginine pathway, as well as to decreased levels of carnitines, polyamines, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). The effects on energy metabolism were supported by the data from the Biolog assays. The lipid compositions of the two cell lines were quite different with the A2780 cells having higher levels of several ether lipids than the A2780CR cells. Melittin also had some effect on the lipid composition of the cells. Overall, this study suggests that melittin might have some potential as an adjuvant therapy in cancer treatment. PMID:27754384

  10. Synthesis, characterization, and anticancer activity of new quinazoline derivatives against MCF-7 cells.

    PubMed

    Faraj, Fadhil Lafta; Zahedifard, Maryam; Paydar, Mohammadjavad; Looi, Chung Yeng; Abdul Majid, Nazia; Ali, Hapipah Mohd; Ahmad, Noraini; Gwaram, Nura Suleiman; Abdulla, Mahmood Ameen

    2014-01-01

    Two new synthesized and characterized quinazoline Schiff bases 1 and 2 were investigated for anticancer activity against MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line. Compounds 1 and 2 demonstrated a remarkable antiproliferative effect, with an IC50 value of 6.246×10(-6) mol/L and 5.910×10(-6) mol/L, respectively, after 72 hours of treatment. Most apoptosis morphological features in treated MCF-7 cells were observed by AO/PI staining. The results of cell cycle analysis indicate that compounds did not induce S and M phase arrest in cell after 24 hours of treatment. Furthermore, MCF-7 cells treated with 1 and 2 subjected to apoptosis death, as exhibited by perturbation of mitochondrial membrane potential and cytochrome c release as well as increase in ROS formation. We also found activation of caspases-3/7, -8, and -9 in compounds 1 and 2. Moreover, inhibition of NF-κB translocation in MCF-7 cells treated by compound 1 significantly exhibited the association of extrinsic apoptosis pathway. Acute toxicity results demonstrated the nontoxic nature of the compounds in mice. Our results showed significant activity towards MCF-7 cells via either intrinsic or extrinsic mitochondrial pathway and are potential candidate for further in vivo and clinical breast cancer studies.

  11. Anti-proliferative effects, cell cycle G2/M phase arrest and blocking of chromosome segregation by probimane and MST-16 in human tumor cell lines

    PubMed Central

    Lu, Da Yong; Huang, Min; Xu, Cheng Hui; Yang, Wei Yi; Hu, Chao Xin; Lin, Li Ping; Tong, Lin Jiang; Li, Mei Hong; Lu, Wei; Zhang, Xiong Wen; Ding, Jian

    2005-01-01

    Background Anticancer bisdioxopiperazines, including ICRF-154, razoxane (Raz, ICRF-159) and ICRF-193, are a family of anticancer agents developed in the UK, especially targeting metastases of neoplasms. Two other bisdioxopiperazine derivatives, probimane (Pro) and MST-16, were synthesized at the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China. Cytotoxic activities and mechanisms of Raz (+)-steroisomer (ICRF-187, dexrazoxane), Pro and MST-16 against tumor cells were evaluated by MTT colorimetry, flow cytometry and karyotyping. Results Pro was cytotoxic to human tumor cell lines in vitro (IC50<50 μM for 48 h). Four human tumor cell lines (SCG-7901, K562, A549 and HL60) were susceptible to Pro at low inhibitory concentrations (IC50 values < 10 μM for 48 h). Although the IC50 against HeLa cell line of vincristine (VCR, 4.56 μM), doxorubicin (Dox, 1.12 μM) and 5-fluoruouracil (5-Fu, 0.232 μM) are lower than Pro (5.12 μM), ICRF-187 (129 μM) and MST-16 (26.4 μM), VCR, Dox and 5-Fu shows a low dose-related – high cytotoxic activity. Time-response studies showed that the cytotoxic effects of Pro are increased for 3 days in human tumor cells, whereas VCR, Dox and 5-Fu showed decreased cytotoxic action after 24 h. Cell cycle G2/M phase arrest and chromosome segregation blocking by Pro and MST-16 were noted. Although there was similar effects of Pro and MST-16 on chromosome segregation blocking action and cell cycle G2/M phase arrest at 1- 4 μM, cytotoxicity of Pro against tumor cells was higher than that of MST-16 in vitro by a factor of 3- 10 folds. Our data show that Pro may be more effective against lung cancer and leukemia while ICRF-187 and MST-16 shows similar IC50 values only against leukemia. Conclusion It suggests that Pro has a wider spectrum of cytotoxic effects against human tumor cells than other bisdioxopiperazines, especially against solid tumors, and with a single cytotoxic pathway of Pro and MST-16 affecting chromosome segregation and leading also to cell G2/ M phase arrests, which finally reduces cell division rates. Pro may be more potent than MST-16 in cytotoxicity. High dose- and time- responses of Pro, when compared with VCR, 5-Fu and Dox, were seen that suggest a selectivity of Pro against tumor growth. Compounds of bisdioxopiperazines family may keep up their cytotoxic effects longer than many other anticancer drugs. PMID:15963241

  12. Expression of β-glucuronidase on the surface of bacteria enhances activation of glucuronide prodrugs.

    PubMed

    Cheng, C-M; Chen, F M; Lu, Y-L; Tzou, S-C; Wang, J-Y; Kao, C-H; Liao, K-W; Cheng, T-C; Chuang, C-H; Chen, B-M; Roffler, S; Cheng, T-L

    2013-05-01

    Extracellular activation of hydrophilic glucuronide prodrugs by β-glucuronidase (βG) was examined to increase the therapeutic efficacy of bacteria-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (BDEPT). βG was expressed on the surface of Escherichia coli by fusion to either the bacterial autotransporter protein Adhesin (membrane βG (mβG)/AIDA) or the lipoprotein (lpp) outermembrane protein A (mβG/lpp). Both mβG/AIDA and mβG/lpp were expressed on the bacterial surface, but only mβG/AIDA displayed enzymatic activity. The rate of substrate hydrolysis by mβG/AIDA-BL21cells was 2.6-fold greater than by pβG-BL21 cells, which express periplasmic βG. Human colon cancer HCT116 cells that were incubated with mβG/AIDA-BL21 bacteria were sensitive to a glucuronide prodrug (p-hydroxy aniline mustard β-D-glucuronide, HAMG) with an half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 226.53±45.4 μM, similar to the IC50 value of the active drug (p-hydroxy aniline mustard, pHAM; 70.6±6.75 μM), indicating that mβG/AIDA on BL21 bacteria could rapidly and efficiently convert HAMG to an active anticancer agent. These results suggest that surface display of functional βG on bacteria can enhance the hydrolysis of glucuronide prodrugs and may increase the effectiveness of BDEPT.

  13. Inhibition of tyrosinase activity and melanine pigmentation by 2-hydroxytyrosol.

    PubMed

    Uchida, Ryuji; Ishikawa, Seiko; Tomoda, Hiroshi

    2014-04-01

    2-Hydroxytyrosol (2-HT), originally reported as a synthetic compound, was isolated for the first time as a fungal metabolite. 2-HT was found to inhibit mushroom tyrosinase with an IC50 value of 13.0 µmol/L. Furthermore, 2-HT dose-dependently inhibited tyrosinase activity (IC50, 32.5 µmol/L) in the cell-free extract of B16 melanoma cells and α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-stimulated melanin formation in intact B16 melanoma cells.

  14. Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel FGFR inhibitors bearing an indazole scaffold.

    PubMed

    Liu, Jian; Peng, Xia; Dai, Yang; Zhang, Wei; Ren, Sumei; Ai, Jing; Geng, Meiyu; Li, Yingxia

    2015-07-28

    Fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) is a potential target for cancer therapy. Based on the structure of AZD4547 and NVPBGJ-398, we designed novel 1H-indazol-3-amine scaffold derivatives by utilizing scaffold hopping and molecular hybridization strategies. Consequently, twenty-eight new compounds were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activity against FGFR1. Compound 7n bearing a 6-(3-methoxyphenyl)-1H-indazol-3-amine scaffold was first identified as a potent FGFR1 inhibitor, with good enzymatic inhibition (IC50 = 15.0 nM) and modest cellular inhibition (IC50 = 642.1 nM). The crystal structure of 7n bound to FGFR1 was obtained, which might provide a new basis for potent inhibitor design. Further structural optimization revealed that compound 7r stood out as the most potent FGFR1 inhibitor with the best enzyme inhibitory (IC50 = 2.9 nM) and cellular activity (IC50 = 40.5 nM).

  15. Identification of cellular and molecular factors determining the response of cancer cells to six ergot alkaloids.

    PubMed

    Mrusek, Marco; Seo, Ean-Jeong; Greten, Henry Johannes; Simon, Michael; Efferth, Thomas

    2015-02-01

    Ergot alkaloids are psychoactive and vasoconstricting agents of the fungus Claviceps purpurea causing poisoning such as ergotism in medieval times (St. Anthony's Fire). This class of substances also inhibits tumor growth in vitro and in vivo, though the underlying mechanisms are unclear as yet. We investigated six ergot alkaloids (agroclavine, ergosterol, ergocornin E, ergotamine, dihydroergocristine, and 1-propylagroclavine tartrate) for their cytotoxicity towards tumor cell lines of the National Cancer Institute, USA. 1-Propylagroclavine tartrate (1-PAT) revealed the strongest cytotoxicity. Out of 76 clinically established anticancer drugs, cross-resistance was found between the ergot alkaloids and 6/7 anti-hormonal drugs (=85.7 %) and 5/15 DNA-alkylating drugs (=33.3 %). The IC50 values for the six alkaloids were not correlated to well-known determinants of drug resistance, such as proliferative activity (as measured by cell doubling times, PCNA expression, and cell cycle distribution), the multidrug resistance-mediating P-glycoprotein/MDR1 and expression or mutations of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes (EGFR, RAS, TP53). While resistance of control drugs (daunorubicin, cisplatin, erlotinib) correlated with these classical resistance mechanisms, ergot alkaloids did not. Furthermore, COMPARE and hierarchical cluster analyses were performed of mRNA microarray data to identify genes correlating with sensitivity or resistance to 1-PAT. Twenty-three genes were found with different biological functions (signal transducers, RNA metabolism, ribosome constituents, cell cycle and apoptosis regulators etc.). The expression of only 3/66 neuroreceptor genes correlated with the IC50 values for 1-PAT, suggesting that the psychoactive effects of ergot alkaloids may not play a major role for the cytotoxic activity against cancer cells. In conclusion, the cytotoxicity of ergot alkaloids is not involved in classical mechanisms of drug resistance opening the possibility to bypass resistance and to treat otherwise drug-resistant and refractory tumors. The modes of action are multifactorial, which is a typical feature of many natural compounds.

  16. Inhibition of tyrosinase activity and melanine pigmentation by 2-hydroxytyrosol

    PubMed Central

    Uchida, Ryuji; Ishikawa, Seiko; Tomoda, Hiroshi

    2014-01-01

    2-Hydroxytyrosol (2-HT), originally reported as a synthetic compound, was isolated for the first time as a fungal metabolite. 2-HT was found to inhibit mushroom tyrosinase with an IC50 value of 13.0 µmol/L. Furthermore, 2-HT dose-dependently inhibited tyrosinase activity (IC50, 32.5 µmol/L) in the cell-free extract of B16 melanoma cells and α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-stimulated melanin formation in intact B16 melanoma cells. PMID:26579376

  17. Combretastatin A-4 derived 5-(1-methyl-4-phenyl-imidazol-5-yl)indoles with superior cytotoxic and anti-vascular effects on chemoresistant cancer cells and tumors.

    PubMed

    Mahal, Katharina; Biersack, Bernhard; Schruefer, Sebastian; Resch, Marcus; Ficner, Ralf; Schobert, Rainer; Mueller, Thomas

    2016-08-08

    5-(1-Methyl-4-phenyl-imidazol-5-yl)indoles 5 were prepared and tested as analogs of the natural vascular-disrupting agent combretastatin A-4 (CA-4). The 3-bromo-4,5-dimethoxyphenyl derivative 5c was far more active than CA-4 with low nanomolar IC50 concentrations against multidrug-resistant KB-V1/Vbl cervix and MCF-7/Topo mamma carcinoma cells, and also against CA-4-resistant HT-29 colon carcinoma cells. While not interfering markedly with the polymerization of tubulin in vitro, indole 5c completely disrupted the microtubule cytoskeleton of cancer cells at low concentrations. It also destroyed real blood vessels, both in the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of fertilized chicken eggs and within tumor xenografts in mice, without harming embryo or mouse, respectively. Indole 5c was less toxic than CA-4 to endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and cardiomyocytes. In highly vascularized xenograft tumors 5c induced distinct discolorations and histological features typical of vascular-disrupting agents, such as disrupted vessel structures, hemorrhages, and extensive necrosis. In a first preliminary therapy trial, indole 5c retarded the growth of resistant xenograft tumors in mice. © 2016 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  18. Physalin B from Physalis angulata triggers the NOXA-related apoptosis pathway of human melanoma A375 cells.

    PubMed

    Hsu, Chia-Chun; Wu, Yang-Chang; Farh, Lynn; Du, Ying-Chi; Tseng, Wei-Kung; Wu, Chau-Chung; Chang, Fang-Rong

    2012-03-01

    Melanoma is a lethal form of skin cancer that can metastasize rapidly. While surgery and radiation therapy provide palliative therapy for local tumor growth, systemic therapy is the mainstay of treatment for metastatic melanoma. However, limited chemotherapeutic agents are available for melanoma treatment. In this study, we investigated the anti-melanoma effect of physalin B, the major active compound from a widely used herb medicine, Physalis angulata L. This study demonstrated that physalin B exhibits cytotoxicity towards v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF)-mutated melanoma A375 and A2058 cells (the IC50 values are lower than 4.6 μg/ml). Cytotoxicity is likely resulted from apoptosis since the apoptotic marker phosphatidylserine are detected immediately under physalin B treatment and apoptotic cells formation. Further examination revealed that physalin B induces expression of the proapoptotic protein NOXA within 2 h and later triggers the expression of Bax and caspase-3 in A375 cells. These results indicate that physalin B can induce apoptosis of melanoma cancer cells via the NOXA, caspase-3, and mitochondria-mediated pathways, but not of human skin fibroblast cells and myoblastic cells. Thus, physalin B has the potential to be developed as an effective chemotherapeutic lead compound for the treatment of malignant melanoma. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Cell-Penetrating Peptide-Modified Gold Nanoparticles for the Delivery of Doxorubicin to Brain Metastatic Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Morshed, Ramin A; Muroski, Megan E; Dai, Qing; Wegscheid, Michelle L; Auffinger, Brenda; Yu, Dou; Han, Yu; Zhang, Lingjiao; Wu, Meijing; Cheng, Yu; Lesniak, Maciej S

    2016-06-06

    As therapies continue to increase the lifespan of patients with breast cancer, the incidence of brain metastases has steadily increased, affecting a significant number of patients with metastatic disease. However, a major barrier toward treating these lesions is the inability of therapeutics to penetrate into the central nervous system and accumulate within intracranial tumor sites. In this study, we designed a cell-penetrating gold nanoparticle platform to increase drug delivery to brain metastatic breast cancer cells. TAT peptide-modified gold nanoparticles carrying doxorubicin led to improved cytotoxicity toward two brain metastatic breast cancer cell lines with a decrease in the IC50 of at least 80% compared to free drug. Intravenous administration of these particles led to extensive accumulation of particles throughout diffuse intracranial metastatic microsatellites with cleaved caspase-3 activity corresponding to tumor foci. Furthermore, intratumoral administration of these particles improved survival in an intracranial MDA-MB-231-Br xenograft mouse model. Our results demonstrate the promising application of gold nanoparticles for improving drug delivery in the context of brain metastatic breast cancer.

  20. Synthesis and Evaluation of Folate-Conjugated Phenanthraquinones for Tumor-Targeted Oxidative Chemotherapy

    PubMed Central

    Kumar, Ajay; Chelvam, Venkatesh; Sakkarapalayam, Mahalingam; Li, Guo; Sanchez-Cruz, Pedro; Piñero, Natasha S.; Low, Philip S.; Alegria, Antonio E.

    2016-01-01

    Almost all cells are easily killed by exposure to potent oxidants. Indeed, major pathogen defense mechanisms in both animal and plant kingdoms involve production of an oxidative burst, where host defense cells show an invading pathogen with reactive oxygen species (ROS). Although cancer cells can be similarly killed by ROS, development of oxidant-producing chemotherapies has been limited by their inherent nonspecificity and potential toxicity to healthy cells. In this paper, we describe the targeting of an ROS-generating molecule selectively to tumor cells using folate as the tumor-targeting ligand. For this purpose, we exploit the ability of 9,10-phenanthraquinone (PHQ) to enhance the continuous generation of H2O2 in the presence of ascorbic acid to establish a constitutive source of ROS within the tumor mass. We report here that incubation of folate receptor-expressing KB cells in culture with folate-PHQ plus ascorbate results in the death of the cancer cells with an IC50 of ~10 nM (folate-PHQ). We also demonstrate that a cleavable spacer linking folate to PHQ is significantly inferior to a noncleavable spacer, in contrast to most other folate-targeted therapeutic agents. Unfortunately, no evidence for folate-PHQ mediated tumor regression in murine tumor models is obtained, suggesting that unanticipated impediments to generation of cytotoxic quantities of ROS in vivo are encountered. Possible mechanisms and potential solutions to these unanticipated results are offered. PMID:27066312

  1. Recombinant FIP-gat, a Fungal Immunomodulatory Protein from Ganoderma atrum, Induces Growth Inhibition and Cell Death in Breast Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Xu, Hui; Kong, Ying-Yu; Chen, Xin; Guo, Meng-Yuan; Bai, Xiao-Hui; Lu, Yu-Jia; Li, Wei; Zhou, Xuan-Wei

    2016-04-06

    FIP-gat, an immunomodulatory protein isolated from Ganoderma atrum, is a new member of the FIP family. Little is known, however, about its expressional properties and antitumor activities. It was availably expressed in Escherichia coli with a total yield of 29.75 mg/L. The migration of recombinant FIP-gat (rFIP-gat) on SDS-PAGE corresponded to the predicted molecular mass, and the band was correctly detected by a specific antibody. To characterize the direct effects of rFIP-gat on MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with different concentrations of rFIP-gat in vitro; the results showed that this protein could reduce cell viability dose-dependently with a median inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 9.96 μg/mL and agglutinate the MDA-MB-231 cells at a concentration as low as 5 μg/mL. Furthermore, FIP-gat at a concentration of 10 μg/mL can induce significant growth inhibition and cell death in MDA-MB-231 cells. Notably, FIP-gat treatment triggers significant cell cycle arrest at the G1/S transition and pronounced increase in apoptotic cell population. Molecular assays based on microarray and real-time PCR further revealed the potential mechanisms encompassing growth arrest, apoptosis, and autophagy underlying the phenotypic effects.

  2. Synthesis, Characterization, and Anticancer Activity of New Quinazoline Derivatives against MCF-7 Cells

    PubMed Central

    Faraj, Fadhil Lafta; Zahedifard, Maryam; Paydar, Mohammadjavad; Looi, Chung Yeng; Abdul Majid, Nazia; Ali, Hapipah Mohd; Ahmad, Noraini; Gwaram, Nura Suleiman; Abdulla, Mahmood Ameen

    2014-01-01

    Two new synthesized and characterized quinazoline Schiff bases 1 and 2 were investigated for anticancer activity against MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line. Compounds 1 and 2 demonstrated a remarkable antiproliferative effect, with an IC50 value of 6.246 × 10−6 mol/L and 5.910 × 10−6 mol/L, respectively, after 72 hours of treatment. Most apoptosis morphological features in treated MCF-7 cells were observed by AO/PI staining. The results of cell cycle analysis indicate that compounds did not induce S and M phase arrest in cell after 24 hours of treatment. Furthermore, MCF-7 cells treated with 1 and 2 subjected to apoptosis death, as exhibited by perturbation of mitochondrial membrane potential and cytochrome c release as well as increase in ROS formation. We also found activation of caspases-3/7, -8, and -9 in compounds 1 and 2. Moreover, inhibition of NF-κB translocation in MCF-7 cells treated by compound 1 significantly exhibited the association of extrinsic apoptosis pathway. Acute toxicity results demonstrated the nontoxic nature of the compounds in mice. Our results showed significant activity towards MCF-7 cells via either intrinsic or extrinsic mitochondrial pathway and are potential candidate for further in vivo and clinical breast cancer studies. PMID:25548779

  3. Spontaneous ultra fast synthesis of gold nanoparticles using Punica granatum for cancer targeted drug delivery.

    PubMed

    Ganeshkumar, Moorthy; Sathishkumar, Muniram; Ponrasu, Thangavel; Dinesh, Murugan Girija; Suguna, Lonchin

    2013-06-01

    Rapid synthesis of mono-dispersed gold nanoparticles through economically feasible green chemistry approach is highly desirable. In this study, we have developed a method to synthesize mono-dispersed gold nanoparticles (PAuNPs) by mixing gold solution with fruit peel extract of Punica granutum without using any surfactant or external energy. In this method, physiologically stable, biocompatible PAuNPs were formed within 60s. Casein, being a biocompatible polymer, is used to couple the prepared PAuNPs for functionalization of folic acid, which is highly expressed in cancer cells. These functionalized PAuNPs could be used for targeted drug delivery for cancer with enhanced therapeutic efficacy and minimal side effects. PAuNPs were characterized by UV, IR, TEM, Particle size analyzer and zeta potential measurement. In vitro stability of the PAuNPs was also analyzed. Hemocompatibility of PAuNPs was evaluated in human blood samples and found that the particles were hemocompatible. The toxicity of the PAuNPs, 5-Fu and 5Fu@PAuNPs was analyzed in zebrafish embryos. The in vitro cytotoxicity of free 5-Fu, 5Fu@PAuNPs-Fa was investigated against MCF-7 cells (breast cancer) and observed that the amount of 5-Fu required to achieve 50% of growth of inhibition (Ic50) was much lower when compared to free 5-Fu. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Pharbilignan C induces apoptosis through a mitochondria-mediated intrinsic pathway in human breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Park, Yong Joo; Choi, Chang-Ik; Chung, Kyu Hyuck; Kim, Ki Hyun

    2016-10-01

    Pharbitidis Semen, the seed of Morning glory (Pharbitis nil), is a medicinal agent that has traditionally been used as a purgative in Korea. Pharbilignan C (PLC) is a dihydro[b]-benzofuran-type neolignan from Pharbitidis Semen, which reportedly exhibited the most potent cytotoxicity against human tumor cells. To further study the antiproliferative activity of PLC, its molecular mechanisms of action in two breast adenocarcinoma cells, MCF-7 and MDA-MB 231 cells were investigated. PLC inhibited the proliferation of MDA-MB 231 and MCF-7 cells, in order of sensitivity (IC50 of MDA-MB 231 cells: 7.0±2.0μM). PLC induced apoptosis in MDA-MB 231 cells with down regulation of Bcl-2 and up-regulation of Bax expression. It also decreased mitochondrial membrane potential accompanied with increasing initiator caspase, caspase-9 activation and executioner caspase, caspase-3 activation. This study demonstrates that PLC inhibited proliferation of MDA-MB 231 cells by inducing apoptosis via the mitochondria-mediated intrinsic pathway. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Inhibition of AKT signaling by supercritical CO2 extract of mango ginger (Curcuma amada Roxb.) in human glioblastoma cells.

    PubMed

    Ramachandran, Cheppail; Portalatin, Gilda; Quirin, Karl-W; Escalon, Enrique; Khatib, Ziad; Melnick, Steven J

    2015-12-01

    Mango ginger (Curcuma amada Roxb.) is a less-investigated herb for anticancer properties than other related Curcuma species. AKT (a serine/threonine protein kinase B, originally identified as an oncogene in the transforming retrovirus AKT8) plays a central role in the development and promotion of cancer. In this investigation, we have analyzed the effect of supercritical CO2 extract of mango ginger (CA) on the genetic pathways associated with AKT signaling in human glioblastoma cells. The inhibitory effect of supercritical CO2 extract of mango ginger (Curcuma amada) on AKT signaling was investigated in U-87MG glioblastoma cells. CA was highly cytotoxic to glioblastoma cell line (IC50=4.92±0.81 µg/mL) compared to mHypoE-N1 normal mouse hypothalamus cell line (IC50=40.57±0.06 µg/mL). CA inhibits AKT (protein Kinase B) and adenosine monophophate -activated protein kinase α (AMPKα) phosphorylation significantly in a dose-dependent manner. The cell migration which is necessary for invasion and metastasis was also inhibited by CA treatment, with about 43% reduction at 20 µg/mL concentration. Analysis of mRNA and protein expression of genes associated with apoptosis, cell proliferation and angiogenesis showed that CA modulates expression of genes associated with apoptosis (Bax, Bcl-2, Bcl-X, BNIP3, caspase-3, mutant p53 and p21), cell proliferation (Ki67) and angiogenesis vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Additionally, heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) and AMPKα genes interacting with the AKT signaling pathway were also downregulated by CA treatment. These results indicate the molecular targets and mechanisms underlying the anticancer effect of CA in human glioblastoma cells.

  6. Apoptotic induction of skin cancer cell death by plant extracts.

    PubMed

    Thuncharoen, Walairat; Chulasiri, Malin; Nilwarangkoon, Sirinun; Nakamura, Yukio; Watanapokasin, Ramida

    2013-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of plant extracts on cancer apoptotic induction. Human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cell line, obtained from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC, Manassas, VA), was maintained in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) at 37 degrees C, 5% carbon dioxide (CO2). Plant extract solutions were obtained from S & J international enterprises public company limited. These plant extracts include 50% hydroglycol extracts from Etlingera elatior (Jack) R.M.Smith (torch ginger; EE), Rosa damascene (damask rose; DR) and Rafflesia kerrii Meijer (bua phut; RM). The cell viability, time and dose dependency were determined by MTT (3-(4, 5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. A431 cells were treated with the plant extracts and stained with Hoechst 33342 fluorescent staining dye. Cell viability was demonstrated by the inhibitory concentration 50% (IC50). The anti-proliferative effects were shown to be dependent on time and dose. Typical characteristics of apoptosis which are cell morphological changes and chromatin condensation were clearly observed. The plant extracts was shown to be effective for anti-proliferation and induction of apoptosis cell death in skin cancer cells. Therefore, mechanisms underlying the cell death and its potential use for treatment of skin cancer will be further studied.

  7. Synthesis of sulfadimethoxine based surfactants and their evaluation as antitumor agents.

    PubMed

    Khowdiary, Manal Mohmed; Mostafa, Nashwa S

    2016-01-01

    Synthesized CO (II) and Pt (II) of sulfadimethoxine. These compounds were tested for potential antitumor activity against two of human tumor cell lines, colon carcinoma cell line [Hct116], and breast carcinoma cell line MCF7. The structures of the resulting compounds have been investigated by elemental, FT-IR and H 1 NMR analyzes to insure the purity and confirmed the structures of them. The surface properties studies and octanol/water partition coefficients, Po/w were measured. The synthesized compounds exhibit biological activities with the lowest log Po/w and critical micelle concentration (CMC) values. In addition, in this article we provide an insight into this subject in order to increase the drug bioavailability. Inhibitory activity against colon carcinoma cells was detected for Pt and cobalt ion complex with IC50 = 4.5, 2.2 µg and against breast carcinoma cells IC50 = 18.2, 5.7 µg, respectively. The main goal of cancer therapy is to attain the maximum therapeutic damage of tumor cells in combination with a minimum concentration of the drug. This can be achieved in principle via selective antitumor preparations, the cytostatic effects of which would be restricted within tumor tissue. While 100% selectivity may be impractical, the achievement of reasonably high selectivity seems to be a feasible aim. Platinum and cobalt complex surfactants in our research affect tumor tissue at a very low concentration at values lower than their CMC values; this indicate that the sulfadimethoxine complexes merit further investigation as potential antitumor drugs.

  8. [Study on anti-tumor effect of cyanidin-3-glucoside on ovarian cancer].

    PubMed

    Zeng, Linchai; Gao, Jie; Zhang, Rui

    2012-06-01

    To investigate the effect and the mechanism of cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) in the growth inhibition of ovarian cancer in vitro and in vivo. After human ovarian cancer cell line HO-8910PM was treated with C3G, cell growth was determined by the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry analysis stained with Annexin V-FITC/PI. The protein expression in HO-8910PM cells was analyzed by Western blot assay. HO-8910PM cells were injected subcutaneously into nude mice to establish xenograft model. After 3 weeks of implantation, mice were randomized into 2 groups (n = 8): control group, feed with 0.2 mL double distilled water; C3G group, feed with C3G at a dose of 5 mg x kg(-1). All treatment lasted for two weeks, thrice per week. Eight weeks after implantation, tumor weight and inhibition rate were evaluated respectively after the mice were sacrificed. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the positive expression of Ki-67 and Mucin-4 in the tumors. The proliferation of ovarian cancer cells was inhibited significantly by C3G with IC50 being 13.82 mg x L(-1). Apoptosis rate induced by C3G was markedly highter than that of control. The expression of Mucin4 was down-regulated in HO-8910PM cells after treatment of C3G. C3G inhibited the growth of ovarian xenograft tumors in nude mice. Furthermore, the positive expression of Ki-67 and Mucin-4 were both decreased in tumors after administration of C3G. C3G exerts anti-tumor activity in ovarian cancer both in vitro and in vivo, which may be related to down-regulation of Mucin-4 protein.

  9. A Novel High-Throughput 3D Screening System for EMT Inhibitors: A Pilot Screening Discovered the EMT Inhibitory Activity of CDK2 Inhibitor SU9516.

    PubMed

    Arai, Kazuya; Eguchi, Takanori; Rahman, M Mamunur; Sakamoto, Ruriko; Masuda, Norio; Nakatsura, Tetsuya; Calderwood, Stuart K; Kozaki, Ken-Ichi; Itoh, Manabu

    2016-01-01

    Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a crucial pathological event in cancer, particularly in tumor cell budding and metastasis. Therefore, control of EMT can represent a novel therapeutic strategy in cancer. Here, we introduce an innovative three-dimensional (3D) high-throughput screening (HTS) system that leads to an identification of EMT inhibitors. For the establishment of the novel 3D-HTS system, we chose NanoCulture Plates (NCP) that provided a gel-free micro-patterned scaffold for cells and were independent of other spheroid formation systems using soft-agar. In the NCP-based 3D cell culture system, A549 lung cancer cells migrated, gathered, and then formed multiple spheroids within 7 days. Live cell imaging experiments showed that an established EMT-inducer TGF-β promoted peripheral cells around the core of spheroids to acquire mesenchymal spindle shapes, loss of intercellular adhesion, and migration from the spheroids. Along with such morphological change, EMT-related gene expression signatures were altered, particularly alteration of mRNA levels of ECAD/CDH1, NCAD/CDH2, VIM and ZEB1/TCF8. These EMT-related phenotypic changes were blocked by SB431542, a TGF-βreceptor I (TGFβR1) inhibitor. Inside of the spheroids were highly hypoxic; in contrast, spheroid-derived peripheral migrating cells were normoxic, revealed by visualization and quantification using Hypoxia Probe. Thus, TGF-β-triggered EMT caused spheroid hypoplasia and loss of hypoxia. Spheroid EMT inhibitory (SEMTIN) activity of SB431542 was calculated from fluorescence intensities of the Hypoxia Probe, and then was utilized in a drug screening of EMT-inhibitory small molecule compounds. In a pilot screening, 9 of 1,330 compounds were above the thresholds of the SEMTIN activity and cell viability. Finally, two compounds SB-525334 and SU9516 showed SEMTIN activities in a dose dependent manner. SB-525334 was a known TGFβR1 inhibitor. SU9516 was a cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) inhibitor, which we showed also had an EMT-inhibitory activity. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of SB-525334 and SU9516 were 0.31 μM and 1.21 μM, respectively, while IC50 of SB431542 was 2.38 μM. Taken together, it was shown that this 3D NCP-based HTS system was useful for screening of EMT-regulatory drugs.

  10. Anticancer Effects of Extracts from the Fruit of Morinda Citrifolia (Noni) in Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

    PubMed

    Sharma, K; Pachauri, S D; Khandelwal, K; Ahmad, H; Arya, A; Biala, P; Agrawal, S; Pandey, R R; Srivastava, A; Srivastav, A; Saxena, J K; Dwivedi, A K

    2016-03-01

    Morinda citrifolia L. (NONI) fruits have been used for thousands of years for the treatment of many health problems including cancer, cold, diabetes, flu, hypertension, and pain. Plant extracts have reported several therapeutic benefits, but extraction of individual compound from the extract often exhibits limited clinical utility as the synergistic effect of various natural ingredients gets lost. They generally constitute polyphenols and flavonoids. Studies have suggested that these phytochemicals, especially polyphenols, display high antioxidant properties, which help to reduce the risk of degenerative diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Several in-vitro and in-vivo studies have shown that Noni fruits have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-dementia, liver-protective, anticancer, analgesic, and immunomodulatory effects. Till date about 7 in vitro cancer studies have been done, but a detailed in vitro study including cell cycle and caspase activation assay on breast cancer cell line has not been done. In the present study different Noni fruit fractions have tested on cancer cell lines MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 (breast adenocarcinoma) and one non-cancer cell line HEK-293 (Human embryonic kidney). Out of which ethylacetate extract showed a higher order of in vitro anticancer activity profile. The ethylacetate extract strongly inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and HEK-293 cell lines with IC50 values of 25, 35, 60 µg/ml respectively. The extract showed increase in apoptotic cells in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells and arrested the cell cycle in the G1/S phase in MCF-7 and G0/G1 phase in MDA-MB-231 cells. Noni extract also decreases the intracellular ROS generation and mitochondrial membrane potential. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  11. Biological and Phytochemical Investigations on Caesalpinia benthamiana, a Plant Traditionally Used as Antimalarial in Guinea

    PubMed Central

    Loua, Jean; Traore, Mohamed Sahar; Camara, Aissata; Balde, Mamadou Aliou; Maes, Louis; Pieters, Luc

    2017-01-01

    Caesalpinia benthamiana is widely used as antimalarial in Guinean traditional medicine. Leaf extracts of the plant were tested for their in vitro antiprotozoal activity against Trypanosoma brucei brucei and T. cruzi and the chloroquine-sensitive Ghana strain of Plasmodium falciparum along with their cytotoxicity on MRC-5 cells. The methanolic extract showed the strongest antiprotozoal activity against P. falciparum (IC50 4 μg/ml), a good activity against T. brucei (IC50 13 μg/ml), and a moderate activity against T. cruzi (IC50 31 μg/ml) along with an IC50 on human MRC-5 cells of 32 μg/ml. Bioassay-guided fractionation from the methanolic extract led to antiplasmodially active subfractions. A prospective, placebo-controlled ethnotherapeutic trial assessed the antimalarial effectiveness and tolerability of C. benthamiana syrup administered orally to children with uncomplicated malaria as compared with chloroquine syrup. Phytochemical screening of the leaf extracts indicated the presence of flavonoids, terpenoids, tannins, saponins, and iridoids. PMID:29081823

  12. The Interference of Selected Cytotoxic Alkaloids with the Cytoskeleton: An Insight into Their Modes of Action.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xiaojuan; Tanaka, Mine; Krstin, Sonja; Peixoto, Herbenya Silva; Wink, Michael

    2016-07-12

    Alkaloids, the largest group among the nitrogen-containing secondary metabolites of plants, usually interact with several molecular targets. In this study, we provide evidence that six cytotoxic alkaloids (sanguinarine, chelerythrine, chelidonine, noscapine, protopine, homoharringtonine), which are known to affect neuroreceptors, protein biosynthesis and nucleic acids, also interact with the cellular cytoskeleton, such as microtubules and actin filaments, as well. Sanguinarine, chelerythrine and chelidonine depolymerized the microtubule network in living cancer cells (Hela cells and human osteosarcoma U2OS cells) and inhibited tubulin polymerization in vitro with IC50 values of 48.41 ± 3.73, 206.39 ± 4.20 and 34.51 ± 9.47 μM, respectively. However, sanguinarine and chelerythrine did not arrest the cell cycle while 2.5 μM chelidonine arrested the cell cycle in the G₂/M phase with 88.27% ± 0.99% of the cells in this phase. Noscapine and protopine apparently affected microtubule structures in living cells without affecting tubulin polymerization in vitro, which led to cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase, promoting this cell population to 73.42% ± 8.31% and 54.35% ± 11.26% at a concentration of 80 μM and 250.9 μM, respectively. Homoharringtonine did not show any effects on microtubules and cell cycle, while the known microtubule-stabilizing agent paclitaxel was found to inhibit tubulin polymerization in the presence of MAPs in vitro with an IC50 value of 38.19 ± 3.33 μM. Concerning actin filaments, sanguinarine, chelerythrine and chelidonine exhibited a certain effect on the cellular actin filament network by reducing the mass of actin filaments. The interactions of these cytotoxic alkaloids with microtubules and actin filaments present new insights into their molecular modes of action.

  13. Discovery of a potent, covalent BTK inhibitor for B-cell lymphoma.

    PubMed

    Wu, Hong; Wang, Wenchao; Liu, Feiyang; Weisberg, Ellen L; Tian, Bei; Chen, Yongfei; Li, Binhua; Wang, Aoli; Wang, Beilei; Zhao, Zheng; McMillin, Douglas W; Hu, Chen; Li, Hong; Wang, Jinhua; Liang, Yanke; Buhrlage, Sara J; Liang, Junting; Liu, Jing; Yang, Guang; Brown, Jennifer R; Treon, Steven P; Mitsiades, Constantine S; Griffin, James D; Liu, Qingsong; Gray, Nathanael S

    2014-05-16

    BTK is a member of the TEC family of non-receptor tyrosine kinases whose deregulation has been implicated in a variety of B-cell-related diseases. We have used structure-based drug design in conjunction with kinome profiling and cellular assays to develop a potent, selective, and irreversible BTK kinase inhibitor, QL47, which covalently modifies Cys481. QL47 inhibits BTK kinase activity with an IC50 of 7 nM, inhibits autophosphorylation of BTK on Tyr223 in cells with an EC50 of 475 nM, and inhibits phosphorylation of a downstream effector PLCγ2 (Tyr759) with an EC50 of 318 nM. In Ramos cells QL47 induces a G1 cell cycle arrest that is associated with pronounced degradation of BTK protein. QL47 inhibits the proliferation of B-cell lymphoma cancer cell lines at submicromolar concentrations.

  14. Design and synthesis of formononetin-dithiocarbamate hybrids that inhibit growth and migration of PC-3 cells via MAPK/Wnt signaling pathways

    PubMed Central

    Fu, Dong-Jun; Zhang, Li; Song, Jian; Mao, Ruo-Wang; Zhao, Ruo-Han; Liu, Ying-Chao; Hou, Yu-Hui; Li, Jia-Huan; Yang, Jia-Jia; Jin, Cheng-Yun; Li, Ping; Zi, Xiao-Lin; Liu, Hong-Min; Zhang, Sai-Yang; Zhang, Yan-Bing

    2017-01-01

    A series of novel formononetin-dithiocarbamate derivatives were designed, synthesized and evaluated for antiproliferative activity against three selected cancer cell line (MGC-803, EC-109, PC-3). The first structure-activity relationship (SAR) for this formononetin-dithiocarbamate scaffold is explored in this report with evaluation of 14 variants of the structural class. Among these analogues, tert-butyl 4-(((3-((3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4-oxo-4H–chromen-7-yl)oxy)propyl)thio)carbonothioyl)piperazine-1-carboxylate (8i) showed the best inhibitory activity against PC-3 cells (IC50 = 1. 97 µM). Cellular mechanism studies elucidated 8i arrests cell cycle at G1 phase and regulates the expression of G1 checkpoint-related proteins in concentration-dependent manners. Furthermore, 8i could inhibit cell growth via MAPK signaling pathway and inhibit migration via Wnt pathway in PC-3 cells. PMID:28038329

  15. Cytotoxic and genotoxic studies of essential oil from Rosa damascene Mill., Kashan, Iran.

    PubMed

    Shokrzadeh, Mohammad; Habibi, Emran; Modanloo, Mona

    2017-08-01

    Aim Rosa damascene Mill. belongs to the family of Roseaceae and its essential oil is produced in large amounts in Iran. The wide application of rose oil has raised questions about potential adverse health effects. We have investigated cytotoxic activity and genotoxic effects of Rosa oil from Kashan, Iran. Methods The cytotoxic effect and IC50 of the essential oil on the cell lines was studied followed by MTT assay. In this assay mitochondrial oxidoreductase enzymes with reducing the tetrazolium dye MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) reflect the number of viable cells. Genotoxic effect of the oil was evaluated by micronucleus assay by evaluating produced micronuclei due to cytogenetic damage in binucleated lymphocytes. Results The results showed that essential oil significantly had cytotoxic and genotoxic effects at doses over 10µg/mL (p<0.05). Also, essential oil of Rose showed lower IC50 in cancer cell line (A549) in comparison with the normal cell line (NIH3T3). Conclusion Cytotoxic and genotoxic properties of essential oil of Rose in Kashan, Iran, are safe at a dose of 10µg/mL. Also, a good cytotoxic effect was shown and could be introduced as an anticancer compound. Further studies are needed with regard to anti-cancer effects of Rose essential oil. Copyright© by the Medical Assotiation of Zenica-Doboj Canton.

  16. Bioassay-guided isolation and identification of bioactive compound from aerial parts of Luffa acutangula against lung cancer cell line NCI-H460.

    PubMed

    Vanajothi, Ramar; Srinivasan, Pappu

    2015-01-01

    Luffa acutangula (Cucurbitaceae) is widely used as a traditional medicine in India and was reported to possess various pharmacological activities including its anti-proliferative effects. In this study, the bioactive compound of ethanolic extract of L. acutangula (LA) was isolated using bioassay-guided approach. Five major fractions were collected and evaluated for their anti-proliferative activity against non-small cell lung cancer cells (NCI-H460). Among the test fractions, the fraction LA/FII effectively decreased the growth of cancer cells with IC50 values of 10 µg/ml concentration. Furthermore, it significantly increased intracellular reactive oxygen species and decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential. The apoptogenic activity of fraction LA/FII was confirmed by cell shrinkage, membrane blebbing and formation of apoptotic bodies. A single bioactive compound was isolated from the active faction, LA/FII and subsequently identified as 1,8 dihydroxy-4-methylanthracene 9,10-dione (compound 1) by comparing its spectral data [Ultraviolet (UV), Infrared (IR), Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectroscopy (ESI-MS)] with literature values. This is the first report on the isolation of compound 1 from this plant.

  17. Two new ortho benzoquinones from Uncaria rhynchophylla.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Qian; Chen, Lei; Hu, Le-Jian; Liu, Wen-Yuan; Feng, Feng; Qu, Wei

    2016-03-01

    The present study was designed to determine the chemical constituents of the stems and hooks of Uncaria rhynchophylla. The chemical constituents were isolated and purified from CH2Cl2 fraction by chromatography. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses. Their cytotoxicity was tested using MTT method. Two new ortho benzoquinones, 3-diethylamino-5-methoxy-1, 2-benzoquinone (1) and 3-ethylamino-5-methoxy-1, 2-benzoquinone (2), together with a known compound isorhynchophyllic acid (3) were isolated from U. rhynchophylla. These compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against cancer cells A549, HepG2 and A2780. Compounds 1 and 2 were new ortho benzoquinones and showed weak antiproliferative activities on A549, HepG2 and A2780 cells. Compound 3 significantly inhibited the proliferation of A549, HepG2 and A2780 cells with IC50 values being 5.8, 12.8 and 11.8 µmol·L(-1), respectively. Copyright © 2016 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. DW10075, a novel selective and small-molecule inhibitor of VEGFR, exhibits antitumor activities both in vitro and in vivo

    PubMed Central

    Li, Meng-yuan; Lv, Yong-cong; Tong, Lin-jiang; Peng, Ting; Qu, Rong; Zhang, Tao; Sun, Yi-ming; Chen, Yi; Wei, Li-xin; Geng, Mei-yu; Duan, Wen-hu; Xie, Hua; Ding, Jian

    2016-01-01

    Aim: Targeting the VEGF/VEGF receptor (VEGFR) pathway has proved to be an effective antiangiogenic approach for cancer treatment. Here, we identified 6-((2-((3-acetamidophenyl)amino)pyrimidin-4-yl)oxy)-N-phenyl-1-naphthamide (designated herein as DW10075) as a novel and highly selective inhibitor of VEGFRs. Methods: In vitro tyrosine kinase activity was measured using ELISA, and intracellular signaling pathway proteins were detected by Western blot analysis. Endothelial cell proliferation was examined with CCK-8 assays, and tumor cell proliferation was determined with SRB assays. Cell migration, tube formation and rat aortic ring assays were used to detect antiangiogenic activity. Antitumor efficacy was further evaluated in U87-MG human glioblastoma xenograft tumors in nude mice receiving DW10075 (500 mg·kg−1·d−1, po) for two weeks. Results: Among a panel of 21 kinases tested, DW10075 selectively inhibited VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3 (the IC50 values were 6.4, 0.69 and 5.5 nmol/L, respectively), but did not affect 18 other kinases including FGFR and PDGFR at 10 μmol/L. DW10075 significantly blocked VEGF-induced activation of VEGFR and its downstream signaling transduction in primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), thus inhibited VEGF-induced HUVEC proliferation. DW10075 (1–100 nmol/L) dose-dependently inhibited VEGF-induced HUVEC migration and tube formation and suppressed angiogenesis in both the rat aortic ring model and the chicken chorioallantoic membrane model. Furthermore, DW10075 exhibited anti-proliferative activity against 22 different human cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 2.2 μmol/L (for U87-MG human glioblastoma cells) to 22.2 μmol/L (for A375 melanoma cells). In U87-MG xenograft tumors in nude mice, oral administration of DW10075 significantly suppressed tumor growth, and reduced the expression of CD31 and Ki67 in the tumor tissues. Conclusion: DW10075 is a potent and highly selective inhibitor of VEGFR that deserves further development. PMID:26806300

  19. Purification and Characterization of a Lectin from Phaseolus vulgaris cv. (Anasazi Beans)

    PubMed Central

    Sharma, Arishya; Ng, Tzi Bun; Wong, Jack Ho; Lin, Peng

    2009-01-01

    A lectin has been isolated from seeds of the Phaseolus vulgaris cv. “Anasazi beans” using a procedure that involved affinity chromatography on Affi-gel blue gel, fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC)-ion exchange chromatography on Mono S, and FPLC-gel filtration on Superdex 200. The lectin was comprised of two 30-kDa subunits with substantial N-terminal sequence similarity to other Phaseolus lectins. The hemagglutinating activity of the lectin was stable within the pH range of 1–14 and the temperature range of 0–80°C. The lectin potently suppressed proliferation of MCF-7 (breast cancer) cells with an IC50 of 1.3 μM, and inhibited the activity of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase with an IC50 of 7.6 μM. The lectin evoked a mitogenic response from murine splenocytes as evidenced by an increase in [3H-methyl]-thymidine incorporation. The lectin had no antifungal activity. It did not stimulate nitric oxide production by murine peritoneal macrophages. Chemical modification results indicated that tryptophan was crucial for the hemagglutinating activity of the lectin. PMID:19343172

  20. A Novel Lectin with Antiproliferative and HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitory Activities from Dried Fruiting Bodies of the Monkey Head Mushroom Hericium erinaceum

    PubMed Central

    Li, Yanrui; Zhang, Guoqing; Ng, Tzi Bun; Wang, Hexiang

    2010-01-01

    A lectin designated as Hericium erinaceum agglutinin (HEA) was isolated from dried fruiting bodies of the mushroom Hericium erinaceum with a chromatographic procedure which entailed DEAE-cellulose, CM-cellulose, Q-Sepharose, and FPLC Superdex 75. Its molecular mass was estimated to be 51 kDa and its N-terminal amino acid sequences was distinctly different from those of other isolated mushroom lectins. The hemagglutinating activity of HEA was inhibited at the minimum concentration of 12.5 mM by inulin. The lectin was stable at pH 1.9–12.1 and at temperatures up to 70°C, but was inhibited by Hg2+, Cu2+, and Fe3+ ions. The lectin exhibited potent mitogenic activity toward mouse splenocytes, and demonstrated antiproliferative activity toward hepatoma (HepG2) and breast cancer (MCF7) cells with an IC50 of 56.1 μM and 76.5 μM, respectively. It manifested HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitory activity with an IC50 of 31.7 μM. The lectin exhibited potent mitogenic activity toward murine splenocytes but was devoid of antifungal activity. PMID:20625408

  1. The natural compound cantharidin induces cancer cell death through inhibition of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and Bcl-2-associated athanogene domain 3 (BAG3) expression by blocking heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) binding to promoters.

    PubMed

    Kim, Joo Ae; Kim, Youngmi; Kwon, Byoung-Mog; Han, Dong Cho

    2013-10-04

    Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) enhances the survival of cancer cells under various stresses. The knock-out of HSF1 impairs cancer formation and progression, suggesting that HSF1 is a promising therapeutic target. To identify inhibitors of HSF1 activity, we performed cell-based screening with a library of marketed and experimental drugs and identified cantharidin as an HSF1 inhibitor. Cantharidin is a potent antitumor agent from traditional Chinese medicine. Cantharidin inhibited heat shock-induced luciferase activity with an IC50 of 4.2 μm. In contrast, cantharidin did not inhibit NF-κB luciferase reporter activity, demonstrating that cantharidin is not a general transcription inhibitor. When the HCT-116 colorectal cancer cells were exposed to heat shock in the presence of cantharidin, the induction of HSF1 downstream target proteins, such as HSP70 and BAG3 (Bcl-2-associated athanogene domain 3), was suppressed. HSP70 and its co-chaperone BAG3 have been reported to protect cells from apoptosis by stabilizing anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins. As expected, treating HCT-116 cancer cells with cantharidin significantly decreased the amounts of BCL-2, BCL-xL, and MCL-1 protein and induced apoptotic cell death. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis showed that cantharidin inhibited the binding of HSF1 to the HSP70 promoter and subsequently blocked HSF1-dependent p-TEFb recruitment. Therefore, the p-TEFb-dependent phosphorylation of the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II was blocked, arresting transcription at the elongation step. Protein phosphatase 2A inhibition with PP2CA siRNA or okadaic acid did not block HSF1 activity, suggesting that cantharidin inhibits HSF1 in a protein phosphatase 2A-independent manner. We show for the first time that cantharidin inhibits HSF1 transcriptional activity.

  2. Isolation and identification of ingredients inducing cancer cell death from the seeds of Alpinia galanga, a Chinese spice.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Qiao-hui; Lu, Chuan-Li; Zhang, Xue-wu; Jiang, Jian-Guo

    2015-02-01

    This study was carried out to isolate ingredients from the seeds of a Chinese spice (Alpinia galangal) and to evaluate their cytotoxic activity on cancer cell lines. Isolation and purification of the phytochemical constituents were conducted using silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and ODS columns. After extraction using 95% ethanol, the total extracts were re-extracted, resulting in petroleum ether (PE), ethyl acetate (EA) and water fractions, respectively. Activity tests showed that the EA fraction exhibited obvious (p < 0.05) protective effects on H2O2 damaged PC-12 cells at 20 μg mL(-1), and showed much higher (p < 0.05) cytotoxic activity on cancer cell lines than other fractions. Five compounds, 1'-S-1'-acetoxyeugenol acetate (I), 1'-S-1'-acetoxychavicol acetate (II), 2-propenal, 3-[4-(acetyloxy)-3-methoxyphenyl] (III), isocoronarin D (IV) and caryolane-1, 9β-diol (V), were obtained from the EA fraction and identified by HPLC, UV, MS, and NMR spectroscopic analyses. Compounds III and V were isolated from A. galangal for the first time. Moreover, compounds I, II, IV and V were the main active ingredients for inducing death of the tested cancer cells, and their IC50 values ranged from 60 to 90 μg mL(-1), indicating that these compounds possessed a wide anti-cancer capability. Therefore, A. galangal seeds could be a potential source of healthy food for tumor prevention.

  3. Antiproliferative mechanism of the methanolic extract of Enterolobium cyclocarpum (Jacq.) Griseb. (Fabaceae).

    PubMed

    Sowemimo, Abimbola; Venables, Luanne; Odedeji, Modeola; Koekemoer, Trevor; van de Venter, Maryna; Hongbing, Liu

    2015-01-15

    Enterolobium cyclocarpum (Jacq.) Griseb. is a tropical tree that has folkloric implications against many ailments and diseases including cancer. To explore the ethnopharmacological claims against cancer, the cytotoxicity of the methanolic extract of the leaves, was investigated using the brine shrimp lethality assay, MTT assay using cervical (HeLa) and breast (MCF7) cancer cell lines, cell cycle analysis and Annexin V-FITC/PI assay. In the brine shrimp lethality assay, the extract showed cytotoxic activity with LC50 value of 31.63 µg/mL. Significant growth inhibition was observed in both cell lines with IC50 values of 2.07 ± 1.30 µg/mL and 11.84 ± 1.18 µg/mL for HeLa and MCF7, respectively. Cell cycle analysis indicated that HeLa cells were arrested in the G2/M phase while MCF7 cells arrested in the G1/G0 phase. The Annexin V-FITC/PI assay revealed phosphatidylserine translocation in both cell lines and thus apoptosis induction upon treatment with the extract. The study demonstrated the potential antiproliferative activity of Enterolobium cyclocarpum thereby supporting the traditional claim and provides basis for further mechanistic studies and isolation of active constituents. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Oleanane-type saponins from Anemone taipaiensis and their cytotoxic activities.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xiaoyang; Zhang, Wei; Gao, Kai; Lu, Yunyang; Tang, Haifeng; Sun, Xiaoli

    2013-09-01

    Phytochemical investigation of the n-BuOH extract of the rhizomes of Anemone taipaiensis led to the isolation of three new oleanane-type triterpenoid saponins (1-3), together with four known saponins (4-7). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and chemical derivatization. All the compounds were isolated for the first time from A. taipaiensis. The cytotoxicity of these compounds was evaluated in five human cancer cell lines including A549 (lung carcinoma), HeLa (cervical carcinoma), HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma), HL-60 (promyelocytic leukemia), and U87MG (glioblastoma). The monodesmosidic saponin 4 exhibited cytotoxic activity toward all cancer cell lines, with IC50 values ranging from 6.42 to 18.16 μM. In addition, the bisdesmosidic saponins 1 and 7 showed selective cytotoxicity against the U87MG cells. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Mitochondrial-Targeted Curcuminoids: A Strategy to Enhance Bioavailability and Anticancer Efficacy of Curcumin

    PubMed Central

    Reddy, Cheruku Apoorva; Somepalli, Venkateswarlu; Golakoti, Trimurtulu; Kanugula, Anantha KoteswaraRao; Karnewar, Santosh; Rajendiran, Karthikraj; Vasagiri, Nagarjuna; Prabhakar, Sripadi; Kuppusamy, Periannan; Kotamraju, Srigiridhar; Kutala, Vijay Kumar

    2014-01-01

    Although the anti-cancer effects of curcumin has been shown in various cancer cell types, in vitro, pre-clinical and clinical studies showed only a limited efficacy, even at high doses. This is presumably due to low bioavailability in both plasma and tissues, particularly due to poor intracellular accumulation. A variety of methods have been developed to achieve the selective targeting of drugs to cells and mitochondrion. We used a novel approach by conjugation of curcumin to lipophilic triphenylphosphonium (TPP) cation to facilitate delivery of curcumin to mitochondria. TPP is selectively taken up by mitochondria driven by the membrane potential by several hundred folds. In this study, three mitocurcuminoids (mitocurcuminoids-1, 2, and 3) were successfully synthesized by tagging TPP to curcumin at different positions. ESI-MS analysis showed significantly higher uptake of the mitocurcuminoids in mitochondria as compared to curcumin in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. All three mitocurcuminoids exhibited significant cytotoxicity to MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, SKNSH, DU-145, and HeLa cancer cells with minimal effect on normal mammary epithelial cells (MCF-10A). The IC50 was much lower for mitocurcuminoids when compared to curcumin. The mitocurcuminoids induced significant ROS generation, a drop in ΔØm, cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. They inhibited Akt and STAT3 phosphorylation and increased ERK phosphorylation. Mitocurcuminoids also showed upregulation of pro-apoptotic BNIP3 expression. In conclusion, the results of this study indicated that mitocurcuminoids show substantial promise for further development as a potential agent for the treatment of various cancers. PMID:24622734

  6. 3- and 4-pyridylalkyl adamantanecarboxylates: inhibitors of human cytochrome P450(17 alpha) (17 alpha-hydroxylase/C17,20-lyase). Potential nonsteroidal agents for the treatment of prostatic cancer.

    PubMed

    Chan, F C; Potter, G A; Barrie, S E; Haynes, B P; Rowlands, M G; Houghton, J; Jarman, M

    1996-08-16

    Various 3- and 4-pyridylalkyl 1-adamantanecarboxylates have been synthesized and tested for inhibitory activity toward the 17 alpha-hydroxylase and C17,20-lyase activities of human testicular cytochrome P450(17 alpha). The 4-pyridylalkyl esters were much more inhibitory than their 3-pyridylalkyl counterparts. The most potent was (S)-1-(4-pyridyl)ethyl 1-adamantanecarboxylate (3b; IC50 for lyase, 1.8 nM), whereas the (R)-enantiomer 3a was much less inhibitory (IC50 74 nM). Nearly as potent as 3b was the dimethylated counterpart, the 2-(4-pyridylpropan-2-yl) ester 5 (IC50 2.7 nM), which was also more resistant to degradation by esterases. In contrast to their 4-pyridyl analogs, the enantiomers of the 1-(3-pyridyl)ethyl ester were similarly inhibitory (IC50 for lyase; (R)-isomer 8a 150 nM, (S)-isomer 8b 230 nM). Amides corresponding to the 4-pyridylmethyl ester 1 and the (S)-1-(4-pyridyl)ethyl ester 3b, respectively 11 and 15b, were much less inhibitory than their ester counterparts. On the basis of a combination of inhibitory potency and resistance to esterases, the ester 5 was the best candidate for further development as a potential nonsteroidal inhibitor of cytochrome P450(17 alpha) for the treatment of prostate cancer.

  7. Cytotoxicity and modes of action of four Cameroonian dietary spices ethno-medically used to treat cancers: Echinops giganteus, Xylopia aethiopica, Imperata cylindrica and Piper capense.

    PubMed

    Kuete, Victor; Sandjo, Louis P; Wiench, Benjamin; Efferth, Thomas

    2013-08-26

    Echinops giganteus, Imperata cylindrica, Piper capense and Xylopia aethiopica are four medicinal spices used in Cameroon to treat cancers. The above plants previously displayed cytotoxicity against leukemia CCRF-CEM and CEM/ADR5000 cell lines as well as human pancreatic MiaPaCa-2 cells. The present study aims at emphasizing the study of the cytotoxicity and the modes of action of the above plants on a panel of ten cancer cell lines including various sensitive and drug-resistant phenotypes. The study has been extended to the isolation of the bioactive constituents from Echinops giganteus. The cytotoxicity of the extracts was determined using a resazurin reduction assay, whereas the caspase-Glo assay was used to detect the activation of caspases 3/7, caspase 8 and caspase 9 in cells treated with the four extracts. Flow cytometry was used for cell cycle analysis and detection of apoptotic cells, analysis of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) as well as measurement of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The four tested extracts inhibited the proliferation of all tested cancer cell lines including sensitive and drug-resistant phenotypes. Collateral sensitivity of cancer cells to the extract of Echinops giganteus was generally better than to doxorubicin. The recorded IC50 ranges were 3.29 µg/mL [against human knockout clones HCT116 (p53(-/-)) colon cancer cells] to 14.32 µg/mL (against human liver hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells) for the crude extract from Echinops giganteus, 4.17 µg/mL (against breast cancer cells transduced with control vector MDA-MB231 cells) to 19.45 µg/mL (against MDA-MB-231 BCRP cells) for that of Piper capense, 4.11 µg/mL (against leukemia CCRF-CEM cells) to 30.60 µg/mL (against leukemia HL60AR cells) for Xylopia aethiopica, 3.28 µg/mL [against HCT116 (p53(-/-)) cells] to 33.43 µg/mL (against HepG2 cells) for Imperata cylindica and 0.11 µg/mL (against CCRF-CEM cells) to 132.47 µg/mL (against HL60AR cells) for doxorubicin. The four tested extracts induced apoptosis in CCRF-CEM cells via the alteration loss of MMP whilst that of Piper capense also enhanced the production of ROS. The studied plants are potential cytotoxic drugs that deserve more detailed exploration in the future, to develop novel anticancer drugs against sensitive and otherwise drug-resistant phenotypes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Discovery of Potent VEGFR-2 Inhibitors based on Furopyrimidine and Thienopyrimidne Scaffolds as Cancer Targeting Agents

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aziz, Marwa A.; Serya, Rabah A. T.; Lasheen, Deena S.; Abdel-Aziz, Amal Kamal; Esmat, Ahmed; Mansour, Ahmed M.; Singab, Abdel Nasser B.; Abouzid, Khaled A. M.

    2016-04-01

    Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) plays a crucial role in cancer angiogenesis. In this study, a series of novel furo[2,3-d]pyrimidine and thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine based-derivatives were designed and synthesized as VEGFR-2 inhibitors, in accordance to the structure activity relationship (SAR) studies of known type II VEGFR-2 inhibitors. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for their ability to in vitro inhibit VEGFR-2 kinase enzyme. Seven compounds (15b, 16c, 16e, 21a, 21b, 21c and 21e) demonstrated highly potent dose-related VEGFR-2 inhibition with IC50 values in nanomolar range, of which the thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine based-derivatives (21b, 21c and 21e) exhibited IC50 values of 33.4, 47.0 and 21 nM respectively. Moreover, furo[2,3-d]pyrimidine-based derivative (15b) showed the strongest inhibition of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) proliferation with 99.5% inhibition at 10 μM concentration. Consistent with our in vitro findings, compounds (21b and 21e) orally administered at 5 and 10 mg/kg/day for 8 consecutive days demonstrated potent anticancer activity in Erhlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) solid tumor murine model. Such compounds blunted angiogenesis in EAC as evidenced by reduced percent microvessel via decreasing VEGFR-2 phosphorylation with subsequent induction of apoptotic machinery. Furthermore, Miles vascular permeability assay confirmed their antiangiogenic effects in vivo. Intriguingly, such compounds showed no obvious toxicity.

  9. Norlignans from Sequoia sempervirens.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yu-Mei; Tan, Ning-Hua; Yang, Ya-Bin; Lu, Yang; Cao, Peng; Wu, Yun-Shan

    2005-04-01

    Six new norlignans, named sequosempervirins B-G (1-6), together with three known norlignans, agatharesinol (7), agatharesinol acetonide (8), and sugiresinol (9), were isolated from the branches and leaves of Sequoia sempervirens. Their structures were determined mainly by high-resolution mass spectroscopy (HR-MS), and various 1D- and 2D-NMR methods, as well as, in the case of 1, by means of X-ray diffraction. Compound 8 showed anticancer activity towards the A549 non-small-cell lung-cancer cell line (IC50 = 27.1 microM). The acetone extract of S. sempervirens was found to be antifungal towards Candida glabrata (IC50 = 15.98 microg/ml), and both the acetone and MeOH extracts inhibited the proteolytic activity of cathepsin B (IC50 = 4.58 and 5.49 microg/ml, resp.).

  10. Flavanols from evening primrose (Oenothera paradoxa) defatted seeds inhibit prostate cells invasiveness and cause changes in Bcl-2/Bax mRNA ratio.

    PubMed

    Lewandowska, Urszula; Szewczyk, Karolina; Owczarek, Katarzyna; Hrabec, Zbigniew; Podsędek, Anna; Koziołkiewicz, Maria; Hrabec, Elżbieta

    2013-03-27

    In this study, we assessed the influence of an evening primrose flavanol preparation (EPFP) on proliferation and invasiveness of human prostate cancer cells (DU 145) and immortalized prostate epithelial cells (PNT1A). We report for the first time that EPFP reduces DU 145 cell proliferation (IC50 = 97 μM GAE for 72 h incubation) and invasiveness (by 24% versus control at 75 μM GAE). EPFP strongly inhibited PNT1A invasiveness in a concentration-dependent manner (by 67% versus control at 75 μM GAE) and did not cause a reduction in their proliferation. Furthermore, EPFP inhibited the activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 secreted to culture medium by PNT1A cells by 84% and 34% versus control at 100 μM GAE, respectively. In the case of DU 145, MMP-9 activity at 100 μM GAE was reduced by 37% versus control. Moreover, the evening primrose seed flavanols suppressed the expression of selected genes (MMP-1, MMP-9, MMP-14, c-Fos, c-Jun, and VEGF) and also caused favorable changes in Bcl-2/Bax mRNA ratio which render DU 145 cells more sensitive to apoptosis-triggering agents. An additional confirmation of the proapoptotic activity of EPFP toward DU 145 was visualization of characteristic apoptotic bodies by DAPI staining. In conclusion, this study suggests that EPFP may increase apoptosis and reduce angiogenesis of prostate cancer cells.

  11. Synthesis and Cytotoxic Evaluation of Steroidal Copper (Cu (II)) Complexes

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Yanmin; Kong, Erbin; Zhan, Junyan; Chen, Shuang; Gan, Chunfang; Liu, Zhiping; Pang, Liping

    2017-01-01

    Using estrone and pregnenolone as starting materials, some steroidal copper complexes were synthesized by the condensation of steroidal ketones with thiosemicarbazide or diazanyl pyridine and then complexation of steroidal thiosemicarbazones or steroidal diazanyl pyridines with Cu (II). The complexes were characterized by IR, NMR, and HRMS. The synthesized compounds were screened for their cytotoxicity against HeLa, Bel-7404, and 293T cell lines in vitro. The results show that all steroidal copper (II) complexes display obvious antiproliferative activity against the tested cancer cells. The IC50 values of complexes 5 and 12 against Bel-7404 (human liver carcinoma) are 5.0 and 7.0 μM. PMID:29180937

  12. Inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway by the curcumin analog, 3,5-Bis(2-pyridinylmethylidene)-4-piperidone (EF31): anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties

    PubMed Central

    Olivera, Anlys; Moore, Terry W.; Hu, Fang; Brown, Andrew P.; Sun, Aiming; Liotta, Dennis C.; Snyder, James P.; Yoon, Younghyoun; Shim, Hyunsuk; Marcus, Adam I.; Miller, Andrew H.; Pace, Thaddeus W. W.

    2012-01-01

    Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) is a key signaling molecule in the elaboration of the inflammatory response. Data indicate that curcumin, a natural ingredient of the curry spice turmeric, acts as a NF-κB inhibitor and exhibits both anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Curcumin analogues with enhanced activity on the NF-κB and other inflammatory signaling pathways have been developed including the synthetic monoketone compound termed 3,5-Bis(2-fluorobenzylidene)-4-piperidone (EF24). 3,5-Bis(2-pyridinylmethylidene)-4-piperidone (EF31) is a structurally-related curcumin analogue whose potency for NF-κB inhibition has yet to be determined. To examine the activity of EF31 compared to EF24 and curcumin, mouse RAW264.7 macrophages were treated with EF31, EF24, curcumin (1–100µM) or vehicle (DMSO 1%) for 1 hour. NF-κB pathway activity was assessed following treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (1µg/mL). EF31 (IC50 ~5µM) exhibited significantly more potent inhibition of LPS-induced NF-κB DNA binding compared to both EF24 (IC50~35µM) and curcumin (IC50 >50µM). In addition, EF31 exhibited significantly greater inhibition of NF-κB nuclear translocation as well as the induction of downstream inflammatory mediators including pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA and protein (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6). Regarding the mechanism of these effects on NF-κB activity, EF31 (IC50~1.92µM) exhibited significantly greater inhibition of IκB kinase β compared to EF24 (IC50~131µM). Finally, EF31 demonstrated potent toxicity in NF-κB-dependent cancer cell lines while having minimal and reversible toxicity in RAW264.7 macrophages. These data indicate that EF31 is a more potent inhibitor of NF-κB activity than either EF24 or curcumin while exhibiting both anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities. Thus, EF31 represents a promising curcumin analogue for further therapeutic development. PMID:22197802

  13. Antiproliferative activity of pristimerin isolated from Maytenus ilicifolia (Celastraceae) in human HL-60 cells.

    PubMed

    Costa, Patricia Marçal da; Ferreira, Paulo Michel Pinheiro; Bolzani, Vanderlan da Silva; Furlan, Maysa; de Freitas Formenton Macedo Dos Santos, Vânia Aparecida; Corsino, Joaquim; de Moraes, Manoel Odorico; Costa-Lotufo, Letícia Veras; Montenegro, Raquel Carvalho; Pessoa, Cláudia

    2008-06-01

    Pristimerin has been shown to be cytotoxic to several cancer cell lines. In the present work, the cytotoxicity of pristimerin was evaluated in human tumor cell lines and in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). This work also examined the effects of pristimerin (0.4; 0.8 and 1.7 microM) in HL-60 cells, after 6, 12 and 24h of exposure. Pristimerin reduced the number of viable cells and increased number of non-viable cells in a concentration-dependent manner by tripan blue test showing morphological changes consistent with apoptosis. Nevertheless, pristimerin was not selective to cancer cells, since it inhibited PBMC proliferation with an IC50 of 0.88 microM. DNA synthesis inhibition assessed by 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation in HL-60 cells was 70% and 83% for the concentrations of 0.4 and 0.8 microM, respectively. Pristimerin (10 and 20 microM) was not able to inhibit topoisomerase I. In AO/EB (acridine orange/ethidium bromide) staining, all tested concentrations reduced the number of HL-60 viable cells, with the occurrence of necrosis and apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner, results in agreement with trypan blue exclusion findings. The analysis of membrane integrity and internucleosomal DNA fragmentation by flow cytometry in the presence of pristimerin indicated that treated cells underwent apoptosis. The present data point to the importance of pristimerin as representative of an emerging class of potential anticancer chemicals, exhibiting an antiproliferative effect by inhibiting DNA synthesis and triggering apoptosis.

  14. Synthesis and in vitro antitumor evaluation of dihydroartemisinin-cinnamic acid ester derivatives.

    PubMed

    Xu, Cang-Cang; Deng, Ting; Fan, Meng-Lin; Lv, Wen-Bo; Liu, Ji-Hua; Yu, Bo-Yang

    2016-01-01

    To explore novel high efficiency and low toxicity antitumor agents, a series of dihydroartemisinin-cinnamic acid ester derivatives modified on C-12 and/or C-9 position (s) were synthesized and the in vitro antitumor activities against PC-3, SGC-7901, A549 and MDA-MB-435s cancer cell lines were assessed. The hybrids (3-36) were prepared by esterification of 9α-hydroxyl-dihydroartemisinin (9α-OH DHA), the biotransformation product of dihydroartemisinin (DHA), and cinnamic acid derivatives. Compound 17 (IC50 = 0.20 μM) was the most potent anti-proliferative agent against the human lung carcinoma A549 cells, although it displayed low cytotoxicity on normal hepatic L-02 cells. The mechanism of action of compound 17 was further investigated by analysis of cell apoptosis and intracellular ROS generation. The results indicated that both ROS and ferrous ion contributed to the compound 17-induced cell death. Meanwhile, high intracellular ferrous ion and endogenous oxidative stress in A549 cells made them easier to suffer to compound 17-induced apoptosis. Our promising findings indicated the compound 17 could stand as drug candidate against lung cancer for further investigation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  15. Antitumor activity of (2E,5Z)-5-(2-hydroxybenzylidene)-2-((4-phenoxyphenyl)imino) thiazolidin-4-one, a novel microtubule-depolymerizing agent, in U87MG human glioblastoma cells and corresponding mouse xenograft model.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Qiu; Liu, Xiaojun; Li, Xiue; Li, Changlong; Zhou, Hongyu; Yan, Bing

    2013-01-01

    Glioblastoma is the most lethal brain cancer. In spite of intensive therapy, the prognosis of patients with glioblastoma is very poor. To discover novel therapeutic agents, we screened a combinatorial compound library containing 372 thiazolidinone compounds using U87MG human glioblastoma cells. (2E,5Z)-5-(2-hydroxybenzylidene)-2-((4-phenoxyphenyl)imino) thiazolidin-4-one (HBPT) was identified as the most potent anti-glioblastoma compound. HBPT inhibits U87MG human glioblastoma cell proliferation with an IC50 of 20 μM, which is almost 5-fold more potent than temozolomide (a widely used drug for treating malignant glioma in the clinic). Mechanistic investigation demonstrated that HBPT is a novel microtubule-depolymerizing agent, which arrests cancer cells at the G2/M phase of the cell cycle and induces cell apoptosis. In the mouse U87MG xenograft model, HBPT elicits a robust tumor inhibitory effect. More importantly, no obvious toxicity was observed for HBPT therapy in animal experiments. These findings indicate that HBPT has the potential to be developed as a novel agent for the treatment of glioblastoma. [Supplementary Tables: available only at http://dx.doi.org/10.1254/jphs.13064FP].

  16. Hyaluronic acid co-functionalized gold nanoparticle complex for the targeted delivery of metformin in the treatment of liver cancer (HepG2 cells).

    PubMed

    Kumar, C Senthil; Raja, M D; Sundar, D Sathish; Gover Antoniraj, M; Ruckmani, K

    2015-09-05

    In this study, green synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was achieved using the extract of eggplant as a reducing agent. Hyaluronic acid (HA) serves as a capping and targeting agent. Metformin (MET) was successfully loaded on HA capped AuNPs (H-AuNPs) and this formulation binds easily on the surface of the liver cancer cells. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometer, HR-TEM, particle size analyser and zeta potential measurement. Toxicity studies of H-AuNPs in zebra fish confirmed the in vivo safety of the AuNPs. The in vitro cytotoxicity results showed that the amount of MET-H-AuNPs enough to achieve 50% inhibition (IC50) was much lower than free MET. Flow cytometry analysis showed the significant reduction in G2/M phase after treatment with MET-H-AuNPs, and molecular level apoptosis were studied using western blotting. The novelty of this study is the successful synthesis of AuNPs with a higher MET loading and this formulation exhibited better targeted delivery as well as increased regression activity than free MET in HepG2 cells. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Selective CXCR4+ Cancer Cell Targeting and Potent Antineoplastic Effect by a Nanostructured Version of Recombinant Ricin.

    PubMed

    Díaz, Raquel; Pallarès, Victor; Cano-Garrido, Olivia; Serna, Naroa; Sánchez-García, Laura; Falgàs, Aïda; Pesarrodona, Mireia; Unzueta, Ugutz; Sánchez-Chardi, Alejandro; Sánchez, Julieta M; Casanova, Isolda; Vázquez, Esther; Mangues, Ramón; Villaverde, Antonio

    2018-05-29

    Under the unmet need of efficient tumor-targeting drugs for oncology, a recombinant version of the plant toxin ricin (the modular protein T22-mRTA-H6) is engineered to self-assemble as protein-only, CXCR4-targeted nanoparticles. The soluble version of the construct self-organizes as regular 11 nm planar entities that are highly cytotoxic in cultured CXCR4 + cancer cells upon short time exposure, with a determined IC50 in the nanomolar order of magnitude. The chemical inhibition of CXCR4 binding sites in exposed cells results in a dramatic reduction of the cytotoxic potency, proving the receptor-dependent mechanism of cytotoxicity. The insoluble version of T22-mRTA-H6 is, contrarily, moderately active, indicating that free, nanostructured protein is the optimal drug form. In animal models of acute myeloid leukemia, T22-mRTA-H6 nanoparticles show an impressive and highly selective therapeutic effect, dramatically reducing the leukemia cells affectation of clinically relevant organs. Functionalized T22-mRTA-H6 nanoparticles are then promising prototypes of chemically homogeneous, highly potent antitumor nanostructured toxins for precise oncotherapies based on self-mediated intracellular drug delivery. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Induction of apoptosis in colon cancer cells treated with isorhamnetin glycosides from Opuntia ficus-indica pads.

    PubMed

    Antunes-Ricardo, Marilena; Moreno-García, Beatriz E; Gutiérrez-Uribe, Janet A; Aráiz-Hernández, Diana; Alvarez, Mario M; Serna-Saldivar, Sergio O

    2014-12-01

    (OFI) contains health-promoting compounds like flavonoids, being the isorhamnetin glycosides the most abundant. We evaluated the effect of OFI extracts with different isorhamnetin glycosides against two different human colon cancer cells (HT-29 and Caco2). The extracts were obtained by alkaline hydrolysis with NaOH at 40 °C during 15, 30 or 60 min. Tri and diglycosides were the most abundant isorhamnetin glycosides, therefore these compounds were isolated to compare their cytotoxic effect with the obtained from the extracts. The OFI extracts and purified isorhamnetin glycosides were more cytotoxic against HT-29 cells than Caco2 cells. OFI-30 exhibited the lowest IC50 value against HT-29 (4.9 ± 0.5 μg/mL) and against Caco2 (8.2 ± 0.3 μg/mL). Isorhamnetin diglycosides IG5 and IG6 were more cytotoxic than pure isorhamnetin aglycone or triglycosides when they were tested in HT-29 cells. Bioluminescent analysis revealed increased activity of caspase 3/7 in OFI extracts-treated cells, particularly for the extract with the highest concentration of isorhamnetin triglycosides. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed that OFI extract and isorhamnetin glycosides induced a higher percentage of apoptosis in HT-29 than in Caco2, while isorhamnetin was more apoptotic in Caco2. This research demonstrated that glycosilation affected antiproliferative effect of pure isorhamnetin glycosides or when they are mixed with other phytochemicals in an extract obtained from OFI.

  19. Inhibition of urokinase-type plasminogen activator expression by dihydroartemisinin in breast cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    ZHANG, SHUQUN; MA, YINAN; JIANG, JIANTAO; DAI, ZHIJUN; GAO, XIAOYAN; YIN, XIAORAN; XI, WENTAO; MIN, WEILI

    2014-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of dihydroartemisinin (DHA) on the primary tumor growth and metastasis of the human breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231, in vitro. The expression levels of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) were detected by immunocytochemistry in two cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231). The MDA-MB-231 cell activity was inhibited by various concentration gradients of DHA. The inhibitory rate, cell growth curve and apoptotic morphological observations were obtained using the MTT assay at 0, 24, 48 and 72 h. Cell scratch migration was performed at various time-points to test the cell proliferation and migration capacity. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to analyze the effect of DHA on uPA mRNA expression in breast cancer cells. The human breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231, possesses higher metastatic potential and relatively higher expression of uPA when compared with the MCF-7 cell line. DHA was found to inhibit the proliferation and migration capacity of the cell line, MDA-MB-231, in vitro. The growth inhibition occurred in a time- and dose-dependent manner, with IC50 values of 117.76±0.04, 60.26±0.12 and 52.96±0.07 μmol/l following 24, 48 and 72 h, respectively. The inhibition of uPA was observed to decrease breast cancer cell growth and migration. Thus, results of the present study indicate that DHA may be used for further studies with regard to breast cancer therapy. PMID:24765140

  20. Isolation of (S)-(+)-naproxene from Musa acuminata. Inhibitory effect of naproxene and its 7-methoxy isomer on constitutive COX-1 and inducible COX-2.

    PubMed

    Abad, T; McNaughton-Smith, G; Fletcher, W Q; Echeverri, F; Diaz-Peñate, R; Tabraue, C; Ruiz de Galarreta, C M; López-Blanco, F; Luis, J G

    2000-06-01

    The isolation and characterisation of (S)-(+)-6-methoxy-alpha-methyl-2-naphthaleneacetic acid, a well known synthetic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (naproxene), from a natural source is described for the first time. We evaluated the ability of naproxene and its 7-methoxy isomer to abrogate constitutive COX-1 and inducible COX-2 activity in human A549 cells. Naproxene inhibited COX-1 (IC50 = 3.42 microM) and COX-2 (IC50 = 1.53 microM), whereas the 7-methoxy isomer had no appreciable effect on COX-1 (IC50 > 100 microM) but also abrogated the activity of COX-2 enzyme (IC50 = 14.42 microM).

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