title: Effects of ursolic acid on the proliferation and apoptosis of human ovarian cancer cells.
abstract: This study examined the effects of ursolic acid (UA) on the proliferation and apoptosis of a human ovarian cancer cell line, CAOV3. The CAOV3 cells were cultured in the RPMI 1640 media and treated with different concentrations of UA (0, 10, 20, 40 micromol/L). The proliferation rate of the CAOV3 cells was determined by MTT assay. The apoptosis rate was measured by flow cytometry. ERK activity was detected by immunoprecipitation and the expressions of p-ERK1/2, MKP-1, Bax and Bcl-2 by Western blotting. The results showed that the proliferation rate was significantly decreased in the cells treated with UA as compared with that in the non-treated cells (P<0.05). The intracellular ERK activity and p-ERK1/2 expression were also reduced in the UA-treated cells, while the MKP-1 expression was elevated. Moreover, the apoptosis was found in the CAOV3 cells exposed to UA; the Bax expression was increased and the Bcl-2 expression decreased. The apoptosis rate in the UA-treated cells was much higher than that in the non-treated cells (P<0.05). It is concluded that UA can inhibit the proliferation of CAOV3 cells by suppressing the ERK activity and the expression of p-ERK1/2. And it can also induce the apoptosis of the CAOV3 cells by up-regulating the Bax expression and down-regulating the Bcl-2 expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Xinhua Hospital of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430015, China. wangxianghong2008@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Xianghong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Liling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jinyi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiang
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D000097245:Ursolic Acid
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D014315:Triterpenes; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D000097245:Ursolic Acid; C494826:BAX protein, human