An active molecule from Pulsatilla chinensis, Pulsatilla saponin A, induces apoptosis and inhibits tumor growth of human colon cancer cells without or with 5-FU

Xu,Liming; Cheng,Guilian; Lu,Yi; Wang,Shaofeng

doi:10.3892/ol.2017.5884

May-2017 Volume 13 Issue 5

Full Size Image

Journals

International Journal of Molecular Medicine

International Journal of Molecular Medicine is an international journal devoted to molecular mechanisms of human disease.

International Journal of Oncology

International Journal of Oncology is an international journal devoted to oncology research and cancer treatment.

Molecular Medicine Reports

Covers molecular medicine topics such as pharmacology, pathology, genetics, neuroscience, infectious diseases, molecular cardiology, and molecular surgery.

Oncology Reports

Oncology Reports is an international journal devoted to fundamental and applied research in Oncology.

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine is an international journal devoted to laboratory and clinical medicine.

Oncology Letters

Oncology Letters is an international journal devoted to Experimental and Clinical Oncology.

Biomedical Reports

Explores a wide range of biological and medical fields, including pharmacology, genetics, microbiology, neuroscience, and molecular cardiology.

Molecular and Clinical Oncology

International journal addressing all aspects of oncology research, from tumorigenesis and oncogenes to chemotherapy and metastasis.

World Academy of Sciences Journal

Multidisciplinary open-access journal spanning biochemistry, genetics, neuroscience, environmental health, and synthetic biology.

International Journal of Functional Nutrition

Open-access journal combining biochemistry, pharmacology, immunology, and genetics to advance health through functional nutrition.

International Journal of Epigenetics

Publishes open-access research on using epigenetics to advance understanding and treatment of human disease.

Medicine International

An International Open Access Journal Devoted to General Medicine.

May-2017 Volume 13 Issue 5

Full Size Image

Article

An active molecule from Pulsatilla chinensis, Pulsatilla saponin A, induces apoptosis and inhibits tumor growth of human colon cancer cells without or with 5-FU

Authors:
- Liming Xu
- Guilian Cheng
- Yi Lu
- Shaofeng Wang
View Affiliations / Copyright

Affiliations: Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215000, P.R. China, Department of General Surgery, Suzhou Kowloon Hospital, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215021, P.R. China
Pages: 3799-3802
|
Published online on: March 21, 2017

https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2017.5884
Expand metrics +

Abstract

Colon cancer is one of the common types of digestive malignancy. The efficacy of the first‑line chemotherapy drug for colon cancer, fluorouracil (5‑FU), remains limited in clinical settings due to poor efficacy and significant side effects. In the present study, the anticancer activity of an active compound from Pulsatilla chinensis extracts, Pulsatilla saponin A (PsA), was isolated and examined in vitro and in vivo. It was demonstrated that PsA significantly inhibited the growth of human colon cancer HT‑29 cells. This inhibitory activity was also observed when the compound was tested in a colon cancer xenograft mouse model. Additionally, the synergic antitumor effects of PsA and 5‑FU on colon cancer cells were observed. Using annexin V and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase 2'‑deoxyuridine 5'-triphosphate nick end labeling assays, it was demonstrated that levels of apoptosis induction in HT-29 cells treated with PsA or 5‑FU were significantly increased compared with the untreated control cells (P<0.05). Western blot analyses were then performed, and the results revealed an increase in tumor protein 53 and cleaved caspase 9, and a decrease in B-cell lymphoma 2 protein expressions in PsA and PsA + 5‑FU treated colon cancer cells compared with the vehicle‑treated (PBS) cells. In summary, PsA exhibited anticancer activity in human colon cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, in isolation and synergistically with 5-FU, through apoptosis induction.

View Figures

View References

1	Cassidy J, Saltz L, Twelves C, Van Cutsem E, Hoff P, Kang Y, Saini JP, Gilberg F and Cunningham D: Efficacy of capecitabine versus 5-fluorouracil in colorectal and gastric cancers: A meta-analysis of individual data from 6171 patients. Ann Oncol. 22:2604–2609. 2011. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
2	Kodama Y, Fumoto S, Nishi J, Nakashima M, Sasaki H, Nakamura J and Nishida K: Absorption and distribution characteristics of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) after an application to the liver surface in rats in order to reduce systemic side effects. Biol Pharm Bull. 31:1049–1052. 2008. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
3	Zhang DQ, Guo Q, Zhu JH and Chen WC: Increase of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition with celecoxib combined with 5-FU enhances tumor cell apoptosis and antitumor efficacy in a subcutaneous implantation tumor model of human colon cancer. World J Surg Oncol. 11:162013. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
4	Cheng L, Zhang M, Zhang P, Song Z, Ma Z and Qu H: Silver complexation and tandem mass spectrometry for differentiation of triterpenoid saponins from the roots of Pulsatilla chinensis (Bunge) Regel. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom. 22:3783–3790. 2008. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
5	Xu QM, Shu Z, He WJ, Chen LY, Yang SL, Yang G, Liu YL and Li XR: Antitumor activity of Pulsatilla chinensis (Bunge) Regel saponins in human liver tumor 7402 cells in vitro and in vivo. Phytomedicine. 19:293–300. 2012. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
6	Liu Q, Chen W, Jiao Y, Hou J, Wu Q, Liu Y and Qi X: Pulsatilla saponin A, an active molecule from Pulsatilla chinensis, induces cancer cell death and inhibits tumor growth in mouse xenograft models. J Surg Res. 188:387–395. 2014. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
7	Qi X, Chen Z, Liu D, Cen J and Gu M: Expression of Dlk1 gene in myelodysplastic syndrome determined by microarray, and its effects on leukemia cells. Int J Mol Med. 22:61–68. 2008.PubMed/NCBI
8	Li Z, Qiu HY, Jiao Y, Cen JN, Fu CM, Hu SY, Zhu MQ, Wu DP and Qi XF: Growth and differentiation effects of Homer3 on a leukemia cell line. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 14:2525–2528. 2013. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
9	Debatin K: Activation of apoptosis pathways by anticancer treatment. Toxicol Lett. 112–113:41–48. 2000. View Article : Google Scholar
10	Iwaizumi M, Tseng-Rogenski S and Carethers JM: DNA mismatch repair proficiency executing 5-fluorouracil cytotoxicity in colorectal cancer cells. Cancer Biol Ther. 12:756–764. 2011. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI

Journals

International Journal of Molecular Medicine

International Journal of Oncology

Molecular Medicine Reports

Oncology Reports

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine

Oncology Letters

Biomedical Reports

Molecular and Clinical Oncology

World Academy of Sciences Journal

International Journal of Functional Nutrition

International Journal of Epigenetics

Medicine International

An active molecule from Pulsatilla chinensis, Pulsatilla saponin A, induces apoptosis and inhibits tumor growth of human colon cancer cells without or with 5-FU

This article is mentioned in:

Abstract

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Related Articles