title: Cucurbitacin E as inducer of cell death and apoptosis in human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line SAS.
abstract: Human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common form of malignant cancer, for which radiotherapy or chemotherapy are the main treatment methods. Cucurbitacin E (CuE) is a natural compound previously shown to be an antifeedant as well as a potent chemopreventive agent against several types of cancer. The present study investigates anti-proliferation (using MTT assay, CuE demonstrated cytotoxic activity against SAS cell with IC50 values at 3.69 µM) and induced apoptosis of human oral squamous cell carcinoma SAS cells after 24 h treatment with CuE. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and caspase activity were studied and our results indicate that CuE inhibits cell proliferation as well as the activation of apoptois in SAS cells. Both effects increased in proportion to the dosage of CuE and apoptosis was induced via mitochondria- and caspase-dependent pathways. CuE can induce cell death by a mechanism that is not dependent on apoptosis induction, and thus represents a promising anticancer agent for prevention and treatment of OSCC.
authors: Department of General Surgery, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445, Taiwan. ed100647@edah.org.tw
authors: Chao-Ming
authors: CM
authors: Hung
authors: Chi-Chang
authors: CC
authors: Chang
authors: Chen-Wei
authors: CW
authors: Lin
authors: Shun-Yao
authors: SY
authors: Ko
authors: Yi-Chiang
authors: YC
authors: Hsu
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D059447:Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D006801:Humans; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014315:Triterpenes; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; C102326:cucurbitacin E
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