title: Magnolol, a natural compound, induces apoptosis of SGC-7901 human gastric             adenocarcinoma cells via the mitochondrial and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways.
abstract: Gastric cancer is the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer with the second             highest mortality rate worldwide. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy             are generally used for the treatment of stomach cancer but only limited clinical             response is shown by these therapies and still no effectual therapy for advanced             gastric adenocarcinoma patients is available. Therefore, there is a need to identify             other therapeutic agents against this life-threatening disease. Plants are considered             as one of the most important sources for the development of anticancer drugs.             Magnolol, a natural compound possesses anticancer properties. However, effects             of Magnolol on human gastric cancer remain unexplored. The effects of Magnolol             on the viability of SGC-7901 cells were determined by the MTT assay. Apoptosis,             mitochondrial membrane potential and cell cycle were evaluated by flow cytometry.             Protein expression of Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3 and PI3K/Akt was analysed by Western             blotting. Magnolol induced morphological changes in SGC-7901 cells and its cytotoxic             effects were linked with DNA damage, apoptosis and S-phase arrest in a dose-dependent             manner. Magnolol triggered the mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis pathway as shown             by an increased ratio of Bax/Bcl-2, dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential             (ΔΨm), and sequential activation of caspase-3 and inhibition of PI3K/Akt. Additionally,             Magnolol induced autophagy in SGC-7901 cells at high concentration but was not             involved in cell death. Magnolol-induced apoptosis of SGC-7901 cells involves             mitochondria and PI3K/Akt-dependent pathways. These findings provide evidence             that Magnolol is a promising natural compound for the treatment of gastric cancer             and may represent a candidate for in vivo studies of monotherapies or combination             antitumor therapies.
authors.affiliation: Central Research Laboratory, Jilin University Bethune Second Hospital, Changchun 130041, PR China.
authors.forename: Azhar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rasul
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Furhan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.forename: Tonghui
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053148:Caspase 3; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000187:drug effects; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006801:Humans; D017705:Lignans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D016196:S Phase / Q000187:drug effects; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C494826:BAX protein, human; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D017705:Lignans; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; C005498:magnolol; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D053148:Caspase 3