title: Antiproliferation and apoptosis on RKO colon cancer by Millingtonia hortensis.
abstract: Millingtonia hortensis is a medicinal plant widely used in many Asian countries. An aqueous crude extract of this plant has been shown the apoptosis induction on RKO colon cancer cells. However, its mechanism remains unknown. To learn more about this plant extract, we partially purified the crude extract using Sephadex LH-20 and three aqueous fractions were collected. Each fraction was investigated for cytotoxicity using MTT assay. Fraction 1 showed antiproliferative effect on RKO cells with dose-dependent manner, while fraction 2 and 3 had no effect. Induction of apoptosis was determined using flow cytometry and DNA fragmentation method. Apoptotic cell numbers and the appearance of fragmented DNA increased with dose-dependent manner after treatment with fraction 1 for 48 h. We further investigated the expression of apoptotic protein by western blot analysis. Fraction 1 decreased the expression of anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl-xL and p-Bad, while pro-apoptotic protein Bad, was not changed. Fraction 1 also decreased the expression of p-Akt and slightly increased the level of total Akt. These results indicated that fraction 1 is able to inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis on RKO cells by decreasing the expression of Bcl-xL, p-Bad and p-Akt which are involving in survival of cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand.
authors.forename: Siwapong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tansuwanwong
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Kohzoh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: Usanee
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Vinitketkumnuen
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D005419:Flavonoids; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; C078130:hortensin flavonoid; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt