title: Safrole oxide induces apoptosis in A549 human lung cancer cells.
abstract: 3,4-(Methylenedioxy)-1-(2',3'-epoxypropyl)-benzene (safrole oxide) was synthesized in the authors' laboratory. To investigate the effects of safrole oxide on the growth and apoptosis of A549 human lung cancer cells, the authors treated the cells with safrole oxide, 112.36 to 449.44 micromol/L, for 24 to 48 hours. The results showed that the drug led A549 cells to apoptosis and blocked cell cycle completely at G1 phase and partly at G(2)-M phase. To further study the correlated mechanism, the authors examined P53 and H-Ras protein expressions by using immunofluorescence assay. They found that the expression of P53 was dramatically up-regulated but the expression of H-Ras was hardly affected by safrole oxide, 224.72 micromol/L, within 24 hours. Taken together, these results revealed that safrole oxide could induce apoptosis of A549 cells and suggested that safrole oxide might perform its function by blocking cells completely at G1 phase and partly at G(2)-M phase, and also by up-regulating the expression of P53 protein. These findings would raise exciting possibilities for cancer therapy in future.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Aiying
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Shangli
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Junying
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.forename: Baoxiang
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D012451:Safrole / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism; D018631:ras Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C009196:safrole oxide; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D018631:ras Proteins; D012451:Safrole