anthricin and Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a neuroendocrine tumor derived from neural crest cells. Approximately 90% of cases occur in children less than 5 years old. The amplification of MYCN correlates with high-risk neuroblastoma and patients with MYCN amplified showed poorer prognosis than those without MYCN amplification. In this study, three compounds isolated from Juniperus oblonga showed anti-proliferative activity against NB cell lines with and without tetracycline inducible MYCN over-expression which were identified as (-)-deoxypodophyllotoxin (1), (-)-matairesinol (2) and (+)-isocupressic acid (3). The effects of compounds 2 and 3 in NB cells included a decrease in NB cell viability and induction of apoptosis. Compound 1 was more effective in NB cells over-expressing MycN. Compound 1 also showed almost 2-fold induction of intracellular free calcium levels in M2(+) cells, which may indicate a different mechanism of action for this compound. Cytotoxicity studies against the human embryonic kidney cell (HEK-293) showed compounds 1, 2 and 3 were ineffective in the non-cancer cells at concentrations approximating their IC

Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; Carboxylic Acids; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival; Child, Preschool; Diterpenes; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Furans; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; HEK293 Cells; Humans; Inhibitory Concentration 50; Juniperus; Lignans; Molecular Structure; N-Myc Proto-Oncogene Protein; Neuroblastoma; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Podophyllotoxin; Tetrahydronaphthalenes