Delayed luminescence to monitor programmed cell death induced by berberine on thyroid cancer cells.
Correlation between apoptosis and UVA-induced ultraweak photon emission delayed luminescence (DL) from tumor thyroid cell lines was investigated. In particular, the effects of berberine, an alkaloid that has been reported to have anticancer activities, on two cancer cell lines were studied. The FTC-133 and 8305C cell lines, as representative of follicular and anaplastic thyroid human cancer, respectively, were chosen. The results show that berberine is able to arrest cell cycle and activate apoptotic pathway as shown in both cell lines by deoxyribonucleic acid fragmentation, caspase-3 cleavage, p53 and p27 protein overexpression. In parallel, changes in DL spectral components after berberine treatment support the hypothesis that DL from human cells originates mainly from mitochondria, since berberine acts especially at the mitochondrial level. The decrease of DL blue component for both cell lines could be related to the decrease of intra-mitochondrial nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and may be a hallmark of induced apoptosis. In contrast, the response in the red spectral range is different for the two cell lines and may be ascribed to a different iron homeostasis.
University of Catania, Department of Physics and Astronomy, via Santa Sofia 64, Catania I95123, ItalybSouthern National Laboratories of National Institute for Nuclear Physics, via Santa Sofia 62, Catania I95123, Italy.
Agata
A
Scordino
University of Catania, Department of Drugs Science, viale Andrea Doria 6, Catania I95125, Italy.
Agata
A
Campisi
Southern National Laboratories of National Institute for Nuclear Physics, via Santa Sofia 62, Catania I95123, Italy.
Rosaria
R
Grasso
University of Catania, Department of Drugs Science, viale Andrea Doria 6, Catania I95125, Italy.
Roberta
R
Bonfanti
Southern National Laboratories of National Institute for Nuclear Physics, via Santa Sofia 62, Catania I95123, Italyd"Kore" University, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Physical Education, Via delle Olimpiadi, Enna I94100, Italy.
Marisa
M
Gulino
University of Catania, Department of Bio-Medical Science, viale Andrea Doria 6, Catania I95125, Italy.
Liliana
L
Iauk
University of Catania, Department of Bio-Medical Science, viale Andrea Doria 6, Catania I95125, Italy.
Rosalba
R
Parenti
University of Catania, Department of Physics and Astronomy, via Santa Sofia 64, Catania I95123, ItalybSouthern National Laboratories of National Institute for Nuclear Physics, via Santa Sofia 62, Catania I95123, Italy.
Francesco
F
Musumeci
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001599:Berberine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008163:Luminescent Measurements / Q000379:methods*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000166:cytology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D001599:Berberine; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27