title: Beneficial effect of flavonoid baicalein in cisplatin-induced cell death of human glioma cells.
abstract: Flavonoids are a family of polyphenolic compounds found ubiquitously in fruits and vegetables as well as in food products and beverages derived from plants. Baicalein is a flavonoid extracted from the root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, a medicinal plant traditionally used in Oriental medicine. Baicalein exerts either proapoptotic or anti-apoptotic effects in different cell types. The present study was, therefore, undertaken to examine the effect of baicalein on cisplatin-induced apoptosis of human glioma cells. Cisplatin resulted in cell death in a dose- and time-dependent manner and the cell death was attributed to apoptosis. Baicalein prevented loss of cell viability and apoptosis induced by cisplatin in a dose-dependent fashion over the concentrations of 2-10 microM. Exposure of cells to baicalein without cisplatin did not affect cell viability. Western blot analysis demonstrated that cisplatin induced activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), which was not affected by baicalein. Baicalein prevented Bax expression, mitochondrial depolarization, cytochrome c release from mitochondria, and caspase activation induced by cisplatin. Taken together, these findings suggest that baicalein prevents cisplatin-induced apoptosis through inhibition of the mitochondrial depolarization in human glioma cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Pusan National University, 10, 1-Ga, Amidong, Suh-Gu, Pusan 602-739, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Weon
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Geun Sung
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Chae Hwa
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Yong Keun
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity*; D003124:Colorimetry; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D044950:Flavanones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005910:Glioma / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; C494826:BAX protein, human; D044950:Flavanones; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; C006680:baicalein; D045304:Cytochromes c; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases; C022616:thiazolyl blue; D002945:Cisplatin