title: [Influence of betulinic acid on proliferation, migration, cell cycle and apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of betulinic acid (BA) on the proliferation, migration, apoptosis and cell cycle of pancreatic cancer cells (BxPC-3) in vitro and elucidate the underlying.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effect of BA on the proliferation of BxPC-3 was measured by using sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. Migratory ability of BxPC3 cells were detected by wound healing assay, and the morphological change was observed with light microscope. The influence of BA on cell cycle of BxPC-3 cells was tested by flow cytometry (FCM). Apoptosis was analyzed by using Hochest33342-PI double staining. Western blot technologies were applied to detect the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BA exhibited significant cell proliferation and migration inhibition, as well as its potency of inducing apoptosis in BxPC-3 cells in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. The IC50 value for 72 h was 16.54 mg x L(-1). Cell migration was significantly inhibited at 5 mg x L(-1) of BA. Cells treated with BA showed increased cell population in G0 phase, with decreased G2/M phase population. The expression of Bax and Bcl-2 was up and down-regulated respectively in BA-treated BxPC-3 cells in a dose-dependent manner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BA exerted potent effect on growth inhibition, G0 cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis in BxPC-3 cells in vitro, possibly associated with the down-regulation of Bcl-2 and up-regulation of Bax expression. The potent antitumor capacity of BA suggested that it could be a promising new anticancer agent in human pancreatic cancer treatment.
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health, Wuxi 214063, China. jmj16888@126.com
authors.forename: Mengjun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Yaoyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Rongjun
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Meifen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Gangming
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Donghui
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pan
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000094062:Betulinic Acid
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D014315:Triterpenes; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D000094062:Betulinic Acid