title: Anti-tumour activity of longikaurin A (LK-A), a novel natural diterpenoid, in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Longikaurin A is a natural ent-kaurene diterpenoid isolated from Isodon genus. The ent-kaurene diterpenoids isolated from medicinal plants have been shown to have anti-disease effects. The present study was designed to examine the anti-tumour effects of longikaurin A (LK-A) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma in vitro and in vivo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Apoptosis and cell cycle arrest were determined by flow cytometry analysis of the cells treated with Longikaurin A. The proteins of apoptosis signaling pathway were detected by western blotting analysis. Finally, we examined whether LK-A exhibits anti-tumour activity in xenograft models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Longikaurin A inhibited the cell growth by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. At low concentrations, longikaurin A induced S phase arrest and at higher concentrations, longikaurin A induced caspase-dependent apoptosis by regulating apoptotic molecules. Finally, longikaurin A significantly inhibited the tumour growth of CNE2 xenografts in vivo and showed no obvious effect on the body weights of the mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that Longikaurin A exhibited anti-tumour activity in nasopharyngeal carcinoma in vitro and in vivo.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China. pujianxin@mail.kib.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Qing-Feng
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Ji-Ke
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hong-Bo
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ze-Dong
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Shu-Peng
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Man-Zhi
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Han-Dong
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Jian-Xin
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.forename: Mu-Sheng
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002277:Carcinoma; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D045786:Diterpenes, Kaurane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism; D016196:S Phase / Q000187:drug effects; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D014410:Tumor Stem Cell Assay; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D045786:Diterpenes, Kaurane; C096713:benzyloxycarbonylvalyl-alanyl-aspartyl fluoromethyl ketone; C581034:longikaurin A; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases; D053148:Caspase 3; D053453:Caspase 9