anthricin and Lung-Neoplasms

As one of the major types of lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for the majority of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Treatments for NSCLC includes surgery, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. Among the targeted therapies, resistance to inhibitors of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is common and remains a problem to be solved.

Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; Apiaceae; Apoptosis; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Cell Line, Tumor; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; ErbB Receptors; Gefitinib; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial; Podophyllotoxin; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met; Signal Transduction

Anthricin (deoxypodophyllotoxin) is a major lignan in Anthriscus sylvestris and possesses many bioactivities such as antiproliferative, antitumor, anti‑platelet aggregation, antiviral and anti‑inflammatory actions. However, the anticancer effects of anthricin on A549 human non‑small cell lung cancer cells and potential molecular mechanisms remain unknown. Therefore, we investigated the anticancer effect of anthricin and the underlying mechanism in A549 cells. Anthricin (10‑200 nM) inhibited the viability of A549 cells in a dose‑ and time‑dependent manner. Moreover, anthricin‑induced apoptosis was confirmed by live and dead assay, 4,6‑dianmidino‑2‑phenylindole staining, and flow cytometric analysis. In addition, anthricin induced cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase through suppression of the expression of cell cycle cascade proteins, Cdc2 and Cdc25C. Furthermore, it induced the expression of caspase‑related proteins and significantly suppressed the phosphorylation of insulin‑like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R), PI3K and Akt. Anthricin significantly inhibited tumor growth without any significant change in the body weight of mice in A549 tumor xenograft BALB/c nude mice. Anthricin induced caspase‑dependent apoptosis through the IGF1R/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in A549 cells.

Topics: A549 Cells; Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Caspases; Cell Proliferation; Cell Survival; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Mice; Mice, Nude; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; Phosphorylation; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; Receptor, IGF Type 1; Receptors, Somatomedin; Signal Transduction; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Deoxypodophyllotoxin (DPT), an active compound isolated from a number of herbs and used in traditional medicine, has been reported to exhibit promising anti‑tumor activity. A newly synthesized derivative, N-(1-oxyl‑4'-demethyl-4-deoxyp odophyllic)-L‑methine-4'-piperazine carbamate (LJ12) may have improved antitumor activity and fewer side effects. The present study assessed the effect of LJ12 on cell viability, apoptosis, cell cycle distribution and mitotic catastrophe in A549 human lung cancer cells in vitro. The molecular mechanisms underlying the antitumor activity of LJ12 were also examined. The results demonstrated that LJ12 reduced A549 cell viability in a time‑ and dose‑dependent manner, with a lower half maximal inhibitory concentration of ~0.1 µM, compared with another known DPT derivative, etoposide (10 µM). Flow cytometric analysis showed that LJ12 induced tumor cell arrest at the G2/M phase of the cell cycle. The present study also observed an expected concomitant decrease in the numbers of cells cells in the G0/G1 and S phases. LJ12 was found to upregulate the protein expression levels of Cdc2 and Cyclin B1. Furthermore, LJ12 induced tumor cell apoptosis and the protein expression of B cell lymphoma‑2‑associated X protein, caspase‑3 and p53. The present study also observed the formation of giant, multinucleated cells, indicating that LJ12 induced mitotic catastrophe in the tumor cells. These results indicated that LJ12 has anti‑non‑small cell lung cancer activity in vitro. Further investigations aim to develop LJ12 as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of lung cancer.

Topics: Apoptosis; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Cell Cycle Checkpoints; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Methionine; Microtubules; Mitosis; Neoplasm Proteins; Podophyllotoxin

Deoxypodophyllotoxin (DPT), a naturally occurring microtubule destabilizer, inhibits tubulin polymerization and causes cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase in tumor cells. However, the anti-tumor effect and specific mechanism of DPT in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are still poorly understood. In this study, we determined the anti-tumor effect and potential mechanism of DPT in the NSCLC cell line, NCI-H460 (H460). First, we demonstrated that DPT significantly inhibits the proliferation of H460 cells in vitro and the growth of H460 xenografts in vivo. In further studies, DPT triggered necroptosis in H460 cells with the following characteristics: (I) necrotic cell death morphology; (II) autophagy; (III) loss of plasma membrane integrity; (IV) loss of mitochondria membrane potential; (V) elevation of reactive oxygen species levels; and (VI) specific inhibition of necroptosis via a small molecule, necrostatin-1. This study also revealed that DPT has a similar effect towards the drug-sensitive cancer cell line, H460, and the drug-resistant cell line, H460/Bcl-xL. To our knowledge, this is the first report to document the induction of necroptosis by a microtubule-targeting agent to circumvent cancer drug resistance, thereby providing a new potential choice for clinical cancer therapy, especially drug-resistant cancer therapy.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Autophagy; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Cell Culture Techniques; Cell Death; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial; Mice; Mice, Nude; Necrosis; Podophyllotoxin; Reactive Oxygen Species; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

We found that the deoxypodophyllotoxin derivative, 2,6-dimethoxy-4-(6-oxo-(5R,5aR,6,8,8aR,9-hexahydrofuro[3',4':6,7]naphtho[2,3-d][1,3]dioxol-5-yl)phenyl ((R)-1-amino-4-(methylthio)-1-oxobutan-2-yl)carbamate (DPMA), exhibited superior cytotoxicity compared with etoposide. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of action of DPMA. DPMA exhibited anti-proliferative activity and induced apoptosis in A549 cells in a dose- and time-dependant manner. DPMA inhibited microtubule formation and induced expression of Bax, cleaved caspase-3, p53 and ROS, and inhibited Bcl-2 expression. DPMA also affected cyclinB1, cdc2 and p-cdc2 expression, inducing cell cycle arrest. DPMA also inhibited tube formation of VEGF-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells. These studies demonstrate that DPMA inhibits p53/cdc2/Bax signaling, thereby inhibiting cell growth/angiogenesis and inducing apoptosis.

Topics: Adenosine; Apoptosis; bcl-2-Associated X Protein; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; CDC2 Protein Kinase; Cell Cycle Checkpoints; Cell Line, Tumor; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Neovascularization, Physiologic; Podophyllotoxin; Signal Transduction; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

In this study the syntheses of 11 novel lignans are described. Their cytotoxicities are studied in GLC4, a human small cell lung carcinoma cell line, using the microculture tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Ten of these compounds were substituted with a menthyloxy group on the 5-position of the lactone. These compounds can easily be prepared in (novel) 'one-pot', three- or four-step syntheses. In addition, methods for controlling the stereogenic centers are described. Furthermore, five naturally occurring podophyllotoxin-related compounds were tested. The cytotoxicities of all lignan compounds, and of three non-lignan intermediates originating from the syntheses, were compared with the clinically applied anticancer agents etoposide, teniposide, and cisplatin. Most compounds showed moderate to high activities against GLC4, and two of the compounds containing a menthyloxy group showed activities comparable to the reference cytotoxic agents.

Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; Carcinoma, Small Cell; Humans; Lignans; Lung Neoplasms; Tumor Cells, Cultured