title: Tumor-specific cytotoxicity and apoptosis-inducing activity of berberines.
abstract: Berberine iodide (IK-1) and acetoneberberine (IK-2) showed higher cytotoxicity against five human oral squamous cell carcinoma (HSC-2, HSC-3, HSC-4, NA, CA9-22) and one human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cell lines, than against normal human oral tissue-derived cells (gingival fibroblast HGF, pulp cell HPC, periodontal ligament fibroblast HPLF), producing a tumor specificity index of 4.0 and 3.6, respectively. IK-1 was more potent than IK-2 in inducing the production of apoptotic cells, internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, the activation of caspases-3, -8 and -9, and the increased expression of proapoptotic BAD protein, with a corresponding decrease in the expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein in HL-60 cells. These compounds did not induce internucleosomal DNA fragmentation (only producing larger DNA fragment), nor increased the Bad protein expression in HSC-2 cells. The present study demonstrated the tumor-specific cytotoxicity and apoptosis-inducing activity of berberines, suggesting their possible antitumor potentiaL
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Sciences, Meikai University School of Dentistry, Sakado, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Kanako
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Umme
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kulsum
authors.forename: Shahead Ali
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.forename: Sei-Ichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujisawa
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishihara
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yokoe
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakagami
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001599:Berberine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D001599:Berberine; C011389:acetoneberberine; D020169:Caspases