title: Glaucocalyxin A induces apoptosis in human leukemia HL-60 cells through mitochondria-mediated death pathway.
abstract: Glaucocalyxin A (GLA) is a biologically active ent-kauranoid diterpenoid isolated from Rabdosia japonica var. glaucocalyx, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, which has been shown to inhibit tumor cell proliferation. However, the mechanism underlying GLA-induced cytotoxicity remains unclear. In this study, we focused on the effect of GLA induction on apoptosis, the mitochondria-mediated death pathway and the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in human leukemia cells (HL-60). GLA could induce a dose-dependent apoptosis in HL-60 cells as characterized by cell morphology, DNA fragmentation, activation of caspase-3, -9 and an increased expression ratio of Bax/Bcl-2. The mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψ(m)) loss and cytochrome c release from mitochondria to cytosol were observed during the induction. Moreover, GLA caused a time- and dose-dependent elevation of intracellular ROS level in HL-60 cells, and N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC, a well-known antioxidant) could block GLA-induced ROS generation and apoptosis. These data suggest that GLA induces apoptosis in HL-60 cells through ROS-dependent mitochondrial dysfunction pathway.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, PR China.
authors.forename: Li Wen
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wen Hua
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian Wen
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D045786:Diterpenes, Kaurane / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016193:G1 Phase / Q000187:drug effects; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D007938:Leukemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D045786:Diterpenes, Kaurane; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; C055124:glaucocalyxin A; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; C506433:CASP9 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D053453:Caspase 9