[Apoptosis-inducing activity of extract from Chinese herb, Albizzia Lucidior I. Nielsen].
OBJECTIVE
Chinese herb Albizzia Lucidior I. Nielsen (ALN) belongs to Albizzia of Legume. It was reported that the chemical constituents from the bark of Albizza plants possess antitumor activity. So far there was no report about the components of Albizzia Lucidior I. Nielsen and its bioactivities. This study was designed to investigate the apoptosis-inducing activity of ALN extract on human tumor cells and the related mechanism.


METHODS
The effect of ALN extract on tumor cells proliferation, cell cycle distribution, and apoptosis inducing were determined by cell molecular biological methods including MTT assay, nucleus morphological characteristics observation, cell size examination, agarose gel electrophoresis, and flow cytometry. Living cells reaction to ALN extract was also detected by cytosensor microphysiometry. Apoptosis related proteins, poly(ADP-ribose) polymersase (PARP), bcl-2 and Bax protein levels were measured by Western blot.


RESULTS
ALN extract showed proliferation inhibition on human tumor cells by inducing apoptosis. The IC50 value to K562 cell line was (29.04 +/- 12.67) micrograms/ml. Western blot analysis showed that PARP was proteolysized and Bax protein level was enhanced, whereas bcl-2 protein level was unchanged.


CONCLUSIONS
ALN extract induce human tumor cells apoptosis, probably by increasing Bax protein expression.
Cai
Bing
B
Laboratory of Bioactive Assay, Tianjin Institute of Biomedicine, Tianjin 300384, P. R. China. caibing02@163.net
Zhang
Hua-feng
HF
Zhang
Dong-yun
DY
Cui
Cheng-bin
CB
Li
Wen-xin
WX
D031289:Albizzia / Q000737:chemistry*; D017209:Apoptosis; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D020014:K562 Cells; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
C494826:BAX protein, human; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein