title: Salvianolic acid B inhibits growth of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in vitro and in vivo via cyclooxygenase-2 and apoptotic pathways.
abstract: Overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in oral mucosa has been associated with increased risk of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Celecoxib is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, which inhibits COX-2 but not COX-1. This selective COX-2 inhibitor holds promise as a cancer preventive agent. Concerns about cardiotoxicity of celecoxib, limits its use in long-term chemoprevention and therapy. Salvianolic acid B (Sal-B) is a leading bioactive component of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge, which is used for treating neoplastic and chronic inflammatory diseases in China. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanisms by which Sal-B inhibits HNSCC growth. Sal-B was isolated from S. miltiorrhiza Bge by solvent extraction followed by 2 chromatographic steps. Pharmacological activity of Sal-B was assessed in HNSCC and other cell lines by estimating COX-2 expression, cell viability and caspase-dependent apoptosis. Sal-B inhibited growth of HNSCC JHU-022 and JHU-013 cells with IC(50) of 18 and 50 microM, respectively. Nude mice with HNSCC solid tumor xenografts were treated with Sal-B (80 mg/kg/day) or celecoxib (5 mg/kg/day) for 25 days to investigate in vivo effects of the COX-2 inhibitors. Tumor volumes in Sal-B treated group were significantly lower than those in celecoxib treated or untreated control groups (p < 0.05). Sal-B inhibited COX-2 expression in cultured HNSCC cells and in HNSCC cells isolated from tumor xenografts. Sal-B also caused dose-dependent inhibition of prostaglandin E(2) synthesis, either with or without lipopolysaccharide stimulation. Taken together, Sal-B shows promise as a COX-2 targeted anticancer agent for HNSCC prevention and treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnostic Service, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA.
authors.forename: Yubin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Tianpei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Alexandru
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Korotcov
authors.forename: Yanfei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xiaowu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: Hongguang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Rajagopalan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sridhar
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Califano
authors.forename: Xinbin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza / Q000737:chemistry; D015996:Survival Rate; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D053630:Depsides
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D020169:Caspases; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D015232:Dinoprostone; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C076944:salvianolic acid B; D053630:Depsides; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human