Morphological and biochemical changes of andrographolide-induced cell death in human prostatic adenocarcinoma PC-3 cells.
Andrographolide was extracted and purified from Andrographis panicula using hexane and water partitioning followed by ethyl acetate extraction and chromatography. It showed selective cytotoxicity to prostate cancer PC-3 cells in vitro. The morphological and biochemical changes induced by the extract in carcinoma PC-3 cell death were studied. In andrographolide-treated cells, evidence of apoptosis such as cell shrinkage and surface microvilli loss after 4-hour treatment and chromatin condensation and fragmentation in H&E-stained cells between 4 to 8 hours after treatment were observed. Under electron microscopy, membrane blebbing and apoptotic bodies formation were seen after 8-hour treatment. Using immunocytochemistry staining and cellular caspase-3 activity assay, andrographolide-treated cells showed considerable caspase-3 activation and caspase-8 in PC-3 cells at 4 and 2 hours after treatment, respectively. This suggests andrographolide-induced cell death was achieved through the apoptotic pathway, via the activation of an extrinsic caspase cascade.
Kim
Tan Guak
TG
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Hwi
Kim Kah
KK
Hung
Cheah Swee
CS
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000633:toxicity*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004224:Diterpenes; C030419:andrographolide