Anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory properties of ankaflavin and monaphilone A from monascus purpureus NTU 568.
An azaphilonidal derivative monaphilone A (MA) was recently isolated from the fermented products of Monascus purpureus NTU 568 by our laboratory. We report here the exploration of apoptosis-related and anti-inflammatory properties of MA and ankaflavin (AK) by some experiments about inducing death of human laryngeal carcinoma cell line HEp-2 and reducing inflammatory responses on murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. We employed a ssDNA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit to investigate the nuclear changes of early apoptosis induced by AK and MA on HEp-2 cells and used a western blot and an enzyme activity assay to demonstrate the activation of caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9 by MA and AK. Our studies revealed that AK and MA may decrease lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory responses, including nitrite productions and expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) in RAW 264.7 cells. All evidence support that azaphilonidal derivatives from M. purpureus NTU 568, such as AK and MA, are suitable for the development of chemotherapy or chemopreventive agents.
Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University , Taipei 106, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Li-Chuan
LC
Hsu
Ya-Wen
YW
Hsu
Yu-Han
YH
Liang
Yao-Haur
YH
Kuo
Tzu-Ming
TM
Pan
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis; D001578:Benzopyrans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000032:analysis; D005415:Flavins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms; D008264:Macrophages; D051379:Mice; D032741:Monascus / Q000737:chemistry*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000032:analysis
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001578:Benzopyrans; D005415:Flavins; C499916:ankaflavin; C553312:monaphilone A; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D020169:Caspases