title: Induction of apoptosis by puerarin in colon cancer HT-29 cells.
abstract: Puerarin was isolated from Pueraria radix and has beneficial effects on cardiovascular, neurological, and hyperglycemic disorders. The current study showed that puerarin also possessed anti-cancer properties. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay (MTT) assay revealed a dose-dependent reduction of HT-29 cellular growth in response to puerarin treatment. Apoptosis was observed following treatments ;with >or=25 microM puerarin, as reflected by the appearance of the subdiploid fraction and NDA fragmentations. We then investigated effects of puerarin on expression of apoptosis-associated genes and the results revealed an increase of bax and decreases of c-myc and bcl-2. Finally, puerarin treatment significantly increased the activation of caspase-3, a key executioner of apoptosis. These findings indicate that puerarin may act as a chemopreventive and/or chemotherapeutic agent in colon cancer cells by reducing cell viability and inducing apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China. yuzengli@263.net
authors.forename: Zengli
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Wenjie
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019073:HT29 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D007529:Isoflavones; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases; C033607:puerarin