title: p38 MAPK and ERK1/2 pathways are involved in the pro-apoptotic effect of notoginsenoside Ft1 on human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to investigate the effect and the mechanisms of notoginsenoside Ft1, a natural compound exclusively found in P. notoginseng, on the proliferation and apoptosis of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  CCK-8 assay was used to assess the cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was performed to measure the cell cycle distribution and cell apoptosis. Hoechst 33258 staining was conducted to confirm the morphological changes of apoptotic cells. Protein expression was detected by western blot analysis and caspase 3 activity was measured by colorimetric assay kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the saponins examined, Ft1 showed the best inhibitory effect on cell proliferation of SH-SY5Y cells with IC50 of 45μM. Ft1 not only arrested the cell cycle at S, G2/M stages, but also promoted cell apoptosis, which was confirmed by Hoechst 33258 staining. Further studies demonstrated that Ft1 up-regulated the protein expressions of cleaved caspase 3, phospho-p53, p21, and cyclin B1, but down-regulated that of Bcl-2. Moreover, Ft1 enhanced the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, JNK and p38 MAPK. However, the phosphorylation of Jak2 and p85 PI3K was reduced by Ft1. Inhibitors of p38 MAPK and ERK1/2 but not JNK abrogated the up-regulated protein expressions of cleaved caspase 3, p21 and down-regulated protein expression of Bcl-2 as well as elevated caspase 3 activity induced by Ft1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ft1 arrested the proliferation and elicited the apoptosis of SH-SY5Y cells possibly via p38 MAPK and ERK1/2 pathways, which indicates the potential therapeutic effect of it on human neuroblastoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Complex Prescription, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Lian
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Complex Prescription, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Complex Prescription, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Shui-Ping
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Complex Prescription, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Complex Prescription, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Bei-Bei
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Complex Prescription, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: xiaojunwu320@126.com.
authors.forename: Xiao-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Complex Prescription, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; The MOE Key Laboratory for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai, China; The SATCM Key Laboratory for New Resources and Quality Evaluation of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: wangzht@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Zheng-Tao
authors.initials: ZT
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D053723:Panax notoginseng / Q000737:chemistry; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D012503:Saponins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D012503:Saponins; C575719:notoginsenoside Ft1; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D053148:Caspase 3
keywords: Apoptosis; Cell cycle; Notoginsenoside Ft 1; SH-SY5Y cells