euphol and Glioblastoma

Plants play an important role in cancer therapy. They are source of natural molecules which can induce apoptosis in cancer cells by affecting molecular mechanisms implicated in cancer progression. The MAP Kinase/ERK1/2 and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways are two classical signaling pathways implicated in cancer progression and constitute therapeutic targets against cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of euphol on MAP Kinase/ERK1/2 and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways in glioblastoma and prostate cancer cells. Euphol is a tetracyclique triterpene alcohol isolated from Tapinanthus sp. which is a hemi parasitic plant belonging to Loranthaceae family.. Plant powder was extracted by maceration and euphol was isolated and described using respectively column chromatography separation on silica gel and spectroscopic data. Cytotoxic effect of euphol was evaluated using XTT assay and its effect on MAP Kinase/ERK1/2 and PI3K/AKT protein expression was investigated by Western immunoblot analysis. Apotosis was analyzed by evaluating caspase-3/7 activity.. Our investigations demonstrated that this compound has an important cytotoxic effect on C6 and U87 MG glioblastoma (GBM) cells and PC-3 prostate cancer cells. Furthermore, euphol-induced apoptosis revealed by elevated caspase 3/7 activity, was correlated with a significant inhibition of MAP kinase/Erk 1/2 and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in glioblastoma U87 MG cells. The reverse effect was observed in C6 glioblastoma cells, where apoptosis was correlated with a long-lasting activation of Erk 1/2.  In PC-3 cells, euphol had no or limited effect on Erk 1/2 and Akt activity.. These results indicate that euphol induces cell death in glioblastoma and prostate cancer cells and regulates significantly Erk1/2 and Akt activity in glioblastoma cells.

Topics: Apoptosis; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Glioblastoma; Humans; Loranthaceae; Male; MAP Kinase Signaling System; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; Prostatic Neoplasms; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most frequent and aggressive type of brain tumor. There are limited therapeutic options for GBM so that new and effective agents are urgently needed. Euphol is a tetracyclic triterpene alcohol, and it is the main constituent of the sap of the medicinal plant Euphorbia tirucalli. We previously identified anti-cancer activity in euphol based on the cytotoxicity screening of 73 human cancer cells. We now expand the toxicological screening of the inhibitory effect and bioactivity of euphol using two additional glioma primary cultures. Euphol exposure showed similar cytotoxicity against primary glioma cultures compared to commercial glioma cells. Euphol has concentration-dependent cytotoxic effects on cancer cell lines, with more than a five-fold difference in the IC

Topics: Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; Apoptosis; Autophagy; Brain Neoplasms; Cell Movement; Cell Proliferation; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Drug Synergism; Euphorbia; Glioblastoma; Humans; Lanosterol; Temozolomide; Tumor Cells, Cultured