title: Mollugin induces tumor cell apoptosis and autophagy via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR/p70S6K and ERK signaling pathways.
abstract: Mollugin, a bioactive phytochemical isolated from Rubia cordifolia L., has shown preclinical anticancer efficacy in various cancer models. However the effects of mollugin in regulating cancer cell survival and death remains undefined. In the present study we found that mollugin exhibited cytotoxicity on various cancer models. The suppression of cell viability was due to the induction of mitochondria apoptosis. In addition, the presence of autophagic hallmarks was observed in mollugin-treated cells. Notably, blockade of autophagy by a chemical inhibitor or RNA interference enhanced the cytotoxicity of mollugin. Further experiments demonstrated that phosphatidylinositide 3-kinases/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin/p70S6 kinase (PI3K/AKT/mTOR/p70S6K) and extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK) signaling pathways participated in mollugin-induced autophagy and apoptosis. Together, these findings support further studies of mollugin as candidate for treatment of human cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China. Electronic address: njhdwang@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Handong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Jianhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Jianguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ding
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism*; D011714:Pyrans / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D038762:Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDa / Q000378:metabolism*; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D011714:Pyrans; D038762:Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDa; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; C046245:rubimaillin; C546842:MTOR protein, human
keywords: Apoptosis; Autophagy; ERK; Mollugin; PI3K/AKT/mTOR/p70S6K