title: Isocostunolide, a sesquiterpene lactone, induces mitochondrial membrane depolarization and caspase-dependent apoptosis in human melanoma cells.
abstract: Isocostunolide is a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from the roots of Inula helenium. Its chemical structure was determined by NMR and FAB-MS spectra. No biological activities of this compound have yet been reported. In this study, we found isocostunolide could effectively induce cytotoxicity in three cancer cell lines (A2058, HT-29, and HepG2), with an IC(50) of 3.2, 5.0, and 2.0 micro g/mL, respectively. DNA flow cytometric analysis indicated that isocostunolide actively induced apoptosis of cancer cells accompanied by a marked loss of G0/G1 phase cells. To address the mechanism of the apoptotic effect of isocostunolide, we analyzed the induction of apoptosis-related proteins in A2058. The levels of pro-caspase-8, Bid, pro-caspase-3, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) decreased. However, the level of Fas was increased markedly in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, this compound markedly induced a depolarization of mitochondrial membranes to facilitate cytochrome c release into cytosol. The findings suggest that isocostunolide may activate a mitochondria-mediated apoptosis pathway. To address this, we found that isocostunolide-induced loss of mitochondrial membrane potential occurred via modulation of the Bcl-2 family proteins. The production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in A2058 was not elicited. In summary, for the first time, we have isolated and characterized isocostunolide from I. helenium. This compound induces apoptosis through a mitochondria-dependent pathway in A2058 cells.
authors.affiliation: Divsion of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes (NHRI), Taipei 114, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Chia-Nan
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hsin-Hsiu
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chia-Li
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Coney P C
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: John T A
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Hsing-Pang
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Shuang-En
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Gi-Ming
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D051023:BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D019073:HT29 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007783:Lactones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051336:Mitochondrial Membranes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D015394:Molecular Structure; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D051023:BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein; D007783:Lactones; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C002602:costunolide; D045304:Cytochromes c; D020169:Caspases