title: p38 MAPK and NF-kappaB pathways are involved in naphtho[1,2-b] furan-4,5-dione induced anti-proliferation and apoptosis of human hepatoma cells.
abstract: Naphtho[1,2-b] furan-4,5-dione (NFD) was investigated for its anti-proliferation effect on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), Hep3B, HepG(2), and Huh-7 cells. The effect of NFD on inhibiting proliferation and apoptosis was correlated with up-regulation of pro-apoptotic protein and down-regulation of pro-survival proteins. Remarkably, we found that NFD inhibited the nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB, likely accounting for the down-regulation of pro-survival Bcl-2 family. Furthermore, suppression of p38 MAPK activity by a specific inhibitor significantly rescued the cell proliferation inhibited by NFD. These findings suggest that signaling imbalance between p38 MAPK and NF-kappaB by NFD results in the proliferative inhibition and apoptosis of HCC tumor cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan, ROC. cchiu@kmu.edu.tw
authors.forename: Chien-Chih
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Jeff Yi-Fu
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kuwi-Li
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chi-Jung
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jin-Ching
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Bin-Hung
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wan-Yu
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yi-Han
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Yi-Lan
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chih-Hua
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Yeh-Long
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shinne-Ren
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D009285:Naphthoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D015854:Up-Regulation; D051636:X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D016328:NF-kappa B; D009285:Naphthoquinones; D051636:X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein; C496866:XIAP protein, human; D051020:bcl-X Protein; C073873:naphtho(1,2-b)furan-4,5-dione; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases