title: Growth inhibition and modulation of cell markers of melanoma by S-allyl cysteine.
abstract: A sulfur-containing amino acid compound, S-allyl cysteine (SAC), derived from garlic extract inhibited proliferation of nine human and murine melanoma cell line in a dose-dependent manner (1.2-10 mM) assessed by a [3H]thymidine incorporation assay. Three control human lymphoblastoid cell lines were not inhibited by SAC concentrations < 5 mM. Four human melanoma cell lines in a soft-agar assay also showed dose-dependent inhibition of colony formation by SAC. Melanin content was increased up to 95% compared to the same untreated cell lines in these four human melanoma and two B16 murine melanoma sublines. Expression of cell surface gangliosides, cellular-differentiation and transformation markers, decreased after SAC treatment. Significant morphological changes including 'flattening and/or dendritic-like elongations' were also observed. Thus SAC inhibited cellular growth and proliferation and modulated major cell differentiation markers of melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical Oncology, UCLA School of Medicine.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takeyama
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Hoon
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Saxton
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Morton
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Irie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003545:Cysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008543:Melanins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014410:Tumor Stem Cell Assay
chemical_list: D005732:Gangliosides; D008543:Melanins; C065299:S-allylcysteine; D003545:Cysteine; D013936:Thymidine