title: Apigenin Reduces Survival of Choriocarcinoma Cells by Inducing Apoptosis via the PI3K/AKT and ERK1/2 MAPK Pathways.
abstract: Apigenin is a flavonoid found in parsley, onions, oranges, tea, chamomile, wheat, and sprouts. It has a variety of biological properties including anti-oxidant, anti-mutagenic, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, and anti-spasmodic effects. Based on epidemiological and case-control studies, apigenin is regarded as a novel chemotherapeutic agent against various cancer types. However, little is known about the effects of apigenin on choriocarcinoma cells. Therefore, we investigated the anti-cancer effects of apigenin on choriocarcinoma cells (JAR and JEG3) in the present study. Apigenin reduced viability and migratory properties, increased apoptosis, and suppressed mitochondrial membrane potential in both the JAR and JEG3 cells. In addition, apigenin predominantly decreased phosphorylation of AKT, P70RSK, and S6 whereas the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and P90RSK was increased by apigenin treatment of JAR and JEG3 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, treatment of JAR and JEG3 cells with both apigenin and pharmacological inhibitors of PI3K/AKT (LY294002) and ERK1/2 (U0126) revealed synergistic anti-proliferative effects. Collectively, these results indicated that the apigenin is an invaluable chemopreventive agent that inhibits progression and metastasis of choriocarcinoma cells through regulation of PI3K/AKT and ERK1/2 MAPK signal transduction mechanism. J. Cell. Physiol. 231: 2690-2699, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Whasun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sunwoo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Center for Animal Biotechnology and Genomics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.
authors.forename: Fuller W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Bazer
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Gwonhwa
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D047310:Apigenin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002822:Choriocarcinoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D006801:Humans; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects*; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D008954:Models, Biological; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D047310:Apigenin; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt