title: Galangin inhibits growth of human head and neck squamous carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: Galangin, an active flavonoid component extracted from the propolis and root of Alpinia officinarum Hance, has anti-tumor activity, but the mechanisms by which galangin affects various cancers, including human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time that galangin suppressed the growth of HNSCC in vivo. With the cell culture system, galangin inhibited the proliferation and colony formation of HNSCC cells in a dose-dependent manner. Galangin induced significant cell cycle arrest of the tumor cells at the G0/G1 phase, which was accompanied by reduced AKT phosphorylation and mammalian target of rapamycin and S6 kinase activation. Decreased expression of cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)4, CDK6 and phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein was observed in galangin-treated HNSCC cells. In addition, galangin induced apoptosis of HNSCC cells, downregulating antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL and upregulating proapoptotic protein Bax and cleaved caspase 3. Immunohistochemical analysis showed a dose-dependent reduction in cyclin-D1-positive cancer cells and an increase in TUNEL-positive cancer cells in galangin-administrated mouse tumor sections. Therefore, galangin may be a novel therapeutic option in human HNSCC treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai 200011, PR China.
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai 200011, PR China.
authors.forename: Qingqiong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai 200011, PR China.
authors.forename: Jianjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai 200011, PR China.
authors.forename: Jieying
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai 200011, PR China.
authors.forename: Shengfang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai 200011, PR China. Electronic address: chenfx@sjtu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Fuxiang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D051358:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D051361:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 / Q000378:metabolism; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D059585:G1 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C530104:CCND1 protein, human; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D005419:Flavonoids; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein; D019938:Cyclin D1; C037032:galangin; D051358:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4; D051361:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6
keywords: Apoptosis; Cell cycle; Cyclin D1; Galangin; Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma