title: Caesalpinia sappan induces cell death by increasing the expression of p53 and p21WAF1/CIP1 in head and neck cancer cells.
abstract: Caesalpinia sappan L. (C. sappan) has been used in Oriental medicine as an antitumor agent. The present study shows the effects of the chloroform extract of C. sappan on cell death in head and neck cancer cell lines. The viability of HNSCC4 and HNSCC31 cells (head and neck cancer cell lines) was noticeably decreased compared to that of HaCaT cells (control group) in the presence of chloroform extract. No significant difference was observed in the viability of HNSCC4 and HNSCC31 cells when compared with HaCaT cells in the presence of n-butanol, methanol, and water extracts. Exposure to the chloroform extract of C. sappan resulted in an increase in the Sub-G1 phase of the cell cycle and condensation and shrinkage of nuclei in the HNSCC4 and HNSCC31 cells. The levels of p53 and p21WAF1/CIP1 were also increased in the HNSCC4 and HNSCC31 cells. The results suggest that the chloroform extract of C. sappan may increase cell death in the HNSCC4 and HNSCC31 cells, which is linked to increased cellular levels of p53 and p21WAF1/CIP1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Dentistry, Wonkwang University, South Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-Cheol
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young-Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Hwa-Jeong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sun-Kyung
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Myung-Hee
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Byung-Hun
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Chang-Duk
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Suk-Keun
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hycon-Hee
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yong-Ouk
authors.initials: YO
authors.lastname: You
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D029911:Caesalpinia; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016193:G1 Phase / Q000187:drug effects; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53