Liquiritigenin exhibits antitumour action in pituitary adenoma cells via Ras/ERKs and ROS-dependent mitochondrial signalling pathways.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate antitumour effects of liquiritigenin (LQ) on pituitary adenoma in in-vitro and in-vivo models.


METHODS
The effects of LQ on cell viability, apoptosis rate, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and various apoptosis-related mediators were examined in MMQ and GH3 cells that are derived from rat pituitary adenoma. Antitumour effect of LQ was also examined in the mouse model of GH3-xenografted tumour.


RESULTS
LQ inhibited cell viability, caused G1 phase arrest and initiated apoptosis in both MMQ and GH3 cells. LQ dissipated MMP, increased intracellular ROS level and cytosol cytochrome C, and reduced the expression of Ras, B-cell lymphoma 2 and B-cell lymphoma-extra large. LQ also inhibited the activation of extracellular signalling-regulated kinases (ERKs) and the translocation of from cytoplasm to nucleus. LQ markedly reduced tumour size without affecting bodyweight in mice with GH3 cells xenograft.


CONCLUSIONS
LQ effectively inhibits pituitary adenoma tumour growth and induces cell apoptotic death mainly via Ras/ERKs and ROS-dependent mitochondrial pathways, suggesting that LQ is a potential suppressor of pituitary adenoma.
School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Di
D
Wang
Hei-Kiu
HK
Wong
Yi-Bin
YB
Feng
Zhang-Jin
ZJ
Zhang
D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001692:Biological Transport; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D044950:Flavanones / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D044950:Flavanones; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D045304:Cytochromes c; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C083152:liquiritigenin
ROS; Ras/ERKs; apoptosis; liquiritigenin; pituitary adenoma