title: Molecular cytotoxic mechanisms of anticancer hydroxychalcones.
abstract: Chalcones are being considered as anticancer agents as they are natural compounds that are particularly cytotoxic towards K562 leukemia or melanoma cells. In this study, we have investigated phloretin, isoliquiritigenin, and 10 other hydroxylated chalcones for their cytotoxic mechanisms towards isolated rat hepatocytes. All hydroxychalcones partly depleted hepatocyte GSH and oxidized GSH to GSSG. These chalcones also caused a collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential and increased oxygen uptake. Furthermore, glycolytic or citric acid cycle substrates prevented cytotoxicity and mitochondrial membrane potential collapse. The highest pKa chalcones were the most effective at collapsing the mitochondrial membrane potential which suggests that the cytotoxic activity of hydroxychalcones are likely because of their ability to uncouple mitochondria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Omid
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sabzevari
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galati
authors.forename: Majid Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Moridani
authors.forename: Arno
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siraki
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: O'Brien
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002599:Chalcone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D019803:Glutathione Disulfide / Q000378:metabolism; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020112:Rhodamine 123 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D020112:Rhodamine 123; D002599:Chalcone; D005978:Glutathione; D019803:Glutathione Disulfide