title: Effect of saikosaponin, a triterpene saponin, on apoptosis in lymphocytes: association with c-myc, p53, and bcl-2 mRNA.
abstract: 1. The mechanisms involved in the apoptotic effect of saikosaponin-d, a triterpene saponin from Bupleurum falcatum L., were studied in human CEM lymphocytes and compared with those of dexamethasone (3 x 10(-7) M). 2. Saikosaponin-d (10(-8) to 10(-5) M) inhibited the serum-stimulated [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation in a concentration-dependent manner. Dexamethasone also inhibited serum-stimulated [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation. 3. Cell viability was unaffected by saikosaponin-d until 10(-5) - 10(-4) M. Dexamethasone significantly reduced the number of viable cells. 4. Following saikosaponin-d (10(-5) - 10(-4) M) treatment, flow cytometry analysis of propidium iodide-stained cells showed a significant increase in the percentage of cells in the apoptotic region. Dexamethasone also significantly increased the percentage of apoptotic cells. The supravital exposure to propidium iodide and annexin V labelling demonstrated that saikosaponin-d (10(-5) - 10(-4) M) induced apoptosis as well as necrosis. 5. The apoptotic effect of saikosaponin-d (3 x 10(-6) - 10(-4) M) was also demonstrated by TUNEL analysis and DNA laddering. The percentage of apoptotic cells induced by saikosaponin-d (3 x 10(-6) - 10(-5) M) was unaffected by the presence of Z-VAD-FMK, indicating that saikosaponin-d-induced apoptosis may not be mediated by caspase activity. However, the percentage of apoptotic cells induced by dexamethasone was significantly reduced by the presence of Z-VAD-FMK. 6. Levels of c-myc, p53, and bcl-2 mRNA were analysed by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Levels of c-myc and p53 mRNA were significantly increased, while the level of bcl-2 mRNA was decreased, by saikosaponin-d (10(-5) M) treatment. Dexamethasone did not significantly change the expression of these genes. 7. It is suggested that the apoptotic effect of saikosaponin-d may be partly mediated by increases in c-myc and p53 mRNA levels accompanied by a decrease in bcl-2 mRNA level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004247:DNA / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009828:Oleanolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012502:Sapogenins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012503:Saponins; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012502:Sapogenins; D012503:Saponins; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C096713:benzyloxycarbonylvalyl-alanyl-aspartyl fluoromethyl ketone; D009828:Oleanolic Acid; D004247:DNA; C025759:saikosaponin D