title: Ligand-receptor interaction between triterpenoids and the 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11betaHSD2) enzyme predicts their toxic effects against tumorigenic r/m HM-SFME-1 cells.
abstract: The present study deals with in silico prediction and in vitro evaluation of the selective cytotoxic effects of triterpenoids on tumorigenic human c-Ha-ras and mouse c-myc cotransfected highly metastatic serum-free mouse embryo-1 (r/m HM-SFME-1) cells. Ligand fitting of five different triterpenoids to 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11βHSD2) was analyzed with a molecular modeling method, and glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) was the best-fitted triterpenoid to the ligand binding site in 11βHSD2. Analysis of antiproliferative effects revealed that GA, oleanolic acid, and ursolic acid had selective toxicity against the tumor cells and that GA was the most potent triterpenoid in its selectivity. The toxic activity of the tested triterpenoids against the tumor cells showed good correlations with the partition coefficient (logP) and polar surface area values. Time-lapse microscopy, fluorescence staining, and confocal laser scanning microscopic observation revealed that GA induced morphologic changes typical of apoptosis such as cell shrinkage and blebbing and also disrupted the cytoskeletal proteins. Furthermore, GA exhibited a strong inhibitory effect on 11βHSD2 activity in the tumor cells. Our current results suggest that analysis of the ligand-receptor interaction between triterpenoids and 11βHSD2 can be utilized to predict their antitumor effects and that GA can be used as a possible chemopreventive and therapeutic antitumor agent. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on in silico prediction of the toxic effects of triterpenoids on tumor cells by 11βHSD2 inhibition.
authors: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, 150 Yagotoyama, Tenpaku, Nagoya 468-8503, Japan. hyamagu@meijo-u.ac.jp
authors: Hideaki
authors: H
authors: Yamaguchi
authors: Tao
authors: T
authors: Yu
authors: Toshiro
authors: T
authors: Noshita
authors: Yumi
authors: Y
authors: Kidachi
authors: Katsuyoshi
authors: K
authors: Kamiie
authors: Kenji
authors: K
authors: Yoshida
authors: Tatsuo
authors: T
authors: Akitaya
authors: Hironori
authors: H
authors: Umetsu
authors: Kazuo
authors: K
authors: Ryoyama
mesh_terms: D043209:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor / Q000379:methods; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006034:Glycyrrhetinic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D051379:Mice; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D008024:Ligands; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D043209:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2; D006034:Glycyrrhetinic Acid