Combination of liquiritin, isoliquiritin and isoliquirigenin induce apoptotic cell death through upregulating p53 and p21 in the A549 non-small cell lung cancer cells

Zhou,Yanling; Ho,Wing  Shing

doi:10.3892/or.2013.2849

2014-January Volume 31 Issue 1

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2014-January Volume 31 Issue 1

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Article

Combination of liquiritin, isoliquiritin and isoliquirigenin induce apoptotic cell death through upregulating p53 and p21 in the A549 non-small cell lung cancer cells

Authors:
- Yanling Zhou
- Wing Shing Ho
View Affiliations / Copyright

Affiliations: School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, SAR, P.R. China
Pages: 298-304
|
Published online on: November 14, 2013

https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2013.2849
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Abstract

Liquiritin, isoliquiritin and isoliquirigenin are the active polyphenols present in Glycyrrhiza uralensis which has been used for the treatment of cancer and its complications. The present study was conducted to evaluate the cytotoxicity and antitumor activity of liquiritin, isoliquiritin and isoliquirigenin on human non-small lung cancer cells including apoptosis-induction, inhibition of apoptotic pathways and to explore the underlying mechanism. Lactate dehydrogenase assays, FITC Annexin V staining assay were performed to evaluate cellular cytotoxicity and apoptosis activity. The results showed that pretreatment with these polyphenols induced apoptosis in A549 cells. Liquiritin, isoliquiritin and isoliquirigenin significantly increased cytotoxicity of, and upregulated p53 and p21 and downregulated the apoptotic pathways. Furthermore, it inhibited cell cycle at the G2/M phase. Western blot analysis showed it significantly decreased the protein expression of PCNA, MDM2, p-GSK-3β, p-Akt, p-c-Raf, p-PTEN, caspase-3, pro-caspase-8, pro-caspase-9 and PARP, Bcl-2 in a concentration-dependent manner while the protein expression of p53, p21 and Bax was increased. In addition, Akt pathway was downregulated. These findings suggest that liquiritin, isoliquiritin and isoliquirigenin inhibited the p53-dependent pathway and showed crosstalk between Akt activities. These active polyphenols can be an alternative agent for the treatment of lung cancer.

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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

Combination of liquiritin, isoliquiritin and isoliquirigenin induce apoptotic cell death through upregulating p53 and p21 in the A549 non-small cell lung cancer cells

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Abstract

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