The anticancer effect and mechanism of α-hederin on breast cancer cells

  • Authors:
    • Lin Cheng
    • Tian-Song Xia
    • Yi-Fen Wang
    • Wenbin Zhou
    • Xiu-Qing Liang
    • Jin-Qiu Xue
    • Liang Shi
    • Ying Wang
    • Qiang Ding
    • Minhai Wang
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: May 19, 2014     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2014.2449
  • Pages: 757-763
Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )
Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )


Abstract

Natural plant products occupy a very important position in the area of cancer chemotherapy. Many triterpenoid saponins have been proved as potential agents for chemoprevention and therapy of breast cancer. α-hederin, a monodesmosidic triterpenoid saponin distributed in Hedera or Nigella species, displays many biological activities. It is increasingly investigated for its promising anticancer potential since it has been shown to have cytotoxicity against several types of cancer cells. However, studies of α-hederin on breast cancer are limited, most of which focus on biological activity, while the mechanisms have not been widely reported yet. Previously, we purified and identified α-hederin from Clematis ganpiniana, a herb used in traditional Chinese medicine with antitumor action. In the present study, α-hederin showed strong inhibitory activity on the growth of breast cancer cells and induced apoptosis in these cells. α-hederin induced depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential which released Apaf-1 and cytochrome c from the intermembrane space into the cytosol, where they promoted caspase-3 and caspase-9 activation. This is the first report on the growth inhibition and pro-apoptotic effects of α-hederin on breast cancer cells and the relative apoptosis pathways. It implied that triterpenoid saponin α-hederin could be a promising candidate for chemotherapy of breast cancer.
View Figures
View References

Related Articles

Journal Cover

August-2014
Volume 45 Issue 2

Print ISSN: 1019-6439
Online ISSN:1791-2423

Sign up for eToc alerts

Recommend to Library

Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Cheng L, Xia T, Wang Y, Zhou W, Liang X, Xue J, Shi L, Wang Y, Ding Q, Wang M, Wang M, et al: The anticancer effect and mechanism of α-hederin on breast cancer cells. Int J Oncol 45: 757-763, 2014
APA
Cheng, L., Xia, T., Wang, Y., Zhou, W., Liang, X., Xue, J. ... Wang, M. (2014). The anticancer effect and mechanism of α-hederin on breast cancer cells. International Journal of Oncology, 45, 757-763. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2014.2449
MLA
Cheng, L., Xia, T., Wang, Y., Zhou, W., Liang, X., Xue, J., Shi, L., Wang, Y., Ding, Q., Wang, M."The anticancer effect and mechanism of α-hederin on breast cancer cells". International Journal of Oncology 45.2 (2014): 757-763.
Chicago
Cheng, L., Xia, T., Wang, Y., Zhou, W., Liang, X., Xue, J., Shi, L., Wang, Y., Ding, Q., Wang, M."The anticancer effect and mechanism of α-hederin on breast cancer cells". International Journal of Oncology 45, no. 2 (2014): 757-763. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2014.2449