Dioscin-induced apoptosis of human LNCaP prostate carcinoma cells through activation of caspase-3 and modulation of Bcl-2 protein family.
Dioscin is a natural steroid saponin derived from several plants, showing potent anti-cancer effect against a variety of tumor cell lines. In the present study, we investigated the anti-cancer activity of dioscin against human LNCaP cells, and evaluated the possible mechanism involved in its antineoplastic action. It was found that dioscin (1, 2 and 4 μmol/L) could significantly inhibit the viability of LNCaP cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Flow cytometry revealed that the apoptosis rate was increased after treatment of LNCaP cells with dioscin for 24 h, indicating that apoptosis was an important mechanism by which dioscin inhibited cancer. Western blotting was employed to detect the expression of caspase-3, Bcl-2 and Bax in LNCaP cells. The expression of cleaved caspase-3 was significantly increased, and meanwhile procaspase-3 was markedly decreased. The expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 was down-regulated, whereas the pro-apoptotic protein Bax was up-regulated. Moreover, the Bcl-2/Bax ratio was drastically decreased. These results suggested that dioscin possessed potential anti-tumor activity in human LNCaP cells through the apoptosis pathway, which might be associated with caspase-3 and Bcl-2 protein family.
Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resources Evaluation of Hubei Province, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
Jing
J
Chen
Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resources Evaluation of Hubei Province, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.|School of Basic Medical Science, Jiujiang University, Jiujiang, 332000, China.
Hui-Min
HM
Li
Department of Pharmacy, Yichang Central People's Hospital & the First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443003, China.
Xue-Nong
XN
Zhang
Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resources Evaluation of Hubei Province, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
Chao-Mei
CM
Xiong
Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resources Evaluation of Hubei Province, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China. jinlan8152@163.com.
Jin-Lan
JL
Ruan
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004144:Diosgenin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015394:Molecular Structure; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; C019357:dioscin; D053148:Caspase 3; D004144:Diosgenin