title: Apoptosis induced by isoliquiritigenin in human gastric cancer MGC-803 cells.
abstract: Isoliquiritigenin, which is possibly a principal anti-tumor constituent of licorice, a traditional Chinese herb, was examined for apoptosis-inducing activity in human gastric cancer MGC-803 cells. Typical morphological and biochemical features of apoptosis including cell shrinkage, chromatin condensation, DNA ladder formation, and appearance of apoptotic peaks (subG(1)) were observed in MGC-803 cells with isoliquiritigenin treatment. Using Fluo-3 and Rh123 as fluorescent probes, respectively, it was found that the intracellular free calcium concentration increased and the mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Deltapsi(m)) decreased in a dose-dependent manner in apoptotic cells. These results suggest that isoliquiritigenin induced apoptosis of MGC-803 cells through calcium- and Deltapsi(m)-dependent pathways, indicating that it is potentially useful as a natural anti-cancer agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Center for Biopharmaceutical Research and State Key Laboratory For Biocontrol, College of Life Science, Zhongshan University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: N Y
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: W Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002599:Chalcone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D047188:Chalcones; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006035:Glycyrrhiza / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects; D015394:Molecular Structure; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D047188:Chalcones; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D002599:Chalcone; C040920:isoliquiritigenin; D002118:Calcium