title: Aloe emodin induces G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis via activation of caspase-6 in human colon cancer cells.
abstract: Aloe emodin (AE), a natural anthraquinone, is reported to have antiproliferative activity in various cancer cell lines. In this study, we analyzed the molecular mechanisms involved in the growth-inhibitory activity of this hydroxyanthraquinone in colon cancer cell, WiDr. In our observation AE inhibited cell proliferation by arresting the cell cycle at the G2/M phase and inhibiting cyclin B1. AE appreciably induced cell death specifically through the induction of apoptosis and by activating caspases 9/6. Apoptotic execution was found to be solely dependent on caspase-6 rather than caspase-3 or caspase-7. This is the first study indicating that the AE induces apoptosis specifically through the activation of caspase-6.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, India.
authors.forename: Priya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Suboj
authors.forename: Suboj
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Babykutty
authors.forename: Priya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Srinivas
authors.forename: Srinivas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gopala
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D000880:Anthraquinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D053178:Caspase 6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D059447:Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D056744:Cyclin B1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000880:Anthraquinones; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D056744:Cyclin B1; C518327:aloe emodin; D053178:Caspase 6; D020169:Caspases