The anticancer effect and mechanism of α-hederin on breast cancer cells.
Natural plant products occupy a very important position in the area of cancer chemotherapy. Many triterpenoid saponins have been proved as potential agents for chemoprevention and therapy of breast cancer. α-hederin, a monodesmosidic triterpenoid saponin distributed in Hedera or Nigella species, displays many biological activities. It is increasingly investigated for its promising anticancer potential since it has been shown to have cytotoxicity against several types of cancer cells. However, studies of α-hederin on breast cancer are limited, most of which focus on biological activity, while the mechanisms have not been widely reported yet. Previously, we purified and identified α-hederin from Clematis ganpiniana, a herb used in traditional Chinese medicine with antitumor action. In the present study, α-hederin showed strong inhibitory activity on the growth of breast cancer cells and induced apoptosis in these cells. α-hederin induced depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential which released Apaf-1 and cytochrome c from the intermembrane space into the cytosol, where they promoted caspase-3 and caspase-9 activation. This is the first report on the growth inhibition and pro-apoptotic effects of α-hederin on breast cancer cells and the relative apoptosis pathways. It implied that triterpenoid saponin α-hederin could be a promising candidate for chemotherapy of breast cancer.
Jiangsu Breast Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, P.R. China.
Lin
L
Cheng
Jiangsu Breast Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, P.R. China.
Tian-Song
TS
Xia
State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650204, P.R. China.
Yi-Fen
YF
Wang
Jiangsu Breast Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, P.R. China.
Wenbin
W
Zhou
Jiangsu Breast Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, P.R. China.
Xiu-Qing
XQ
Liang
Jiangsu Breast Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, P.R. China.
Jin-Qiu
JQ
Xue
Jiangsu Breast Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, P.R. China.
Liang
L
Shi
Jiangsu Breast Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, P.R. China.
Ying
Y
Wang
Jiangsu Breast Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, P.R. China.
Qiang
Q
Ding
Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Yijishan Hospital with Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241001, P.R. China.
Minhai
M
Wang
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D039324:Clematis; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D009828:Oleanolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012503:Saponins; C010177:beta-hederin; D009828:Oleanolic Acid