title: Licochalcone A as a potent antitumor agent suppresses growth of human oral cancer SCC-25 cells in vitro via caspase-3 dependent pathways.
abstract: The majority of anticancer drugs are of natural origin. However, it is unknown whether licochalcone A is cytotoxic towards oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells. The goal of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic effects of licochalcone A on the human OSCC SCC-25 cells and to identify the underlying molecular mechanism. Exposure of SCC-25 cells to licochalcone A dose- and time-dependently decreased cell viability by arresting cell cycle at the S and G2/M phase as well as inducing apoptosis. Furthermore, the proapoptotic activity of licochalcone A was revealed by DNA fragmentation. Concomitantly, we observed activation of the effector caspases-3, induced by activation of the initiator caspases -8 and -9, which subsequent trigger both death receptor pathway and the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway in licochalcone A-mediated SCC-25 cell apoptosis. Besides, treatment with 50 μg/mL of licochalcone A for 36 h led to the cleavage of PARP, an indicator of apoptosis induction. Therefore licochalcone A may be a good candidate for development as a possible chemopreventive agent against OSCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Burn Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Yongjin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xingwei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Wenxing
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xun
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D047188:Chalcones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016195:G2 Phase / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D047188:Chalcones; D053148:Caspase 3; C070840:licochalcone A