Induction of Apoptosis by Isoalantolactone in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Hep3B Cells through Activation of the ROS-Dependent JNK Signaling Pathway

Autor: Min Yeong Kim, Hyesook Lee, Seon Yeong Ji, So Young Kim, Hyun Hwangbo, Shin-Hyung Park, Gi-Young Kim, Cheol Park, Sun-Hee Leem, Su Hyun Hong, Yung Hyun Choi
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2021
Předmět:
Zdroj: Pharmaceutics, Vol 13, Iss 10, p 1627 (2021)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1999-4923
DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13101627
Popis: Isoalantolactone (IALT) is one of the isomeric sesquiterpene lactones isolated from the roots of Inula helenium L. IALT is known to possess various biological and pharmacological activities, but its anti-cancer mechanisms are not well understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate the anti-proliferative effects of IALT in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and to evaluate the potential anti-cancer mechanisms. Our results demonstrated that IALT treatment concentration-dependently suppressed the cell survival of HCC Hep3B cells, which was associated with the induction of apoptosis. IALT increased the expression of death-receptor-related proteins, activated caspases, and induced Bid truncation, subsequently leading to cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. In addition, IALT contributed to the cytosolic release of cytochrome c by destroying mitochondrial integrity, following an increase in the Bax/Bcl-2 expression ratio. However, IALT-mediated growth inhibition and apoptosis were significantly attenuated in the presence of a pan-caspase inhibitor, suggesting that IALT induced caspase-dependent apoptosis in Hep3B cells. Moreover, IALT activated the mitogen-activated protein kinases signaling pathway, and the anti-cancer effect of IALT was significantly diminished in the presence of a potent c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor. IALT also improved the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), whereas the ROS inhibitor significantly abrogated IALT-induced growth reduction, apoptosis, and JNK activation. Furthermore, ROS-dependent apoptosis was revealed as a mechanism involved in the anti-cancer activity of IALT in a 3D multicellular tumor spheroid model of Hep3B cells. Taken together, our findings indicate that IALT exhibited anti-cancer activity in HCC Hep3B cells by inducing ROS-dependent activation of the JNK signaling pathway.
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