marchantin-c and Uterine-Cervical-Neoplasms

Microtubules are long-standing targets in cancer chemotherapy. Previously, we reported that marchantin C triggers apoptosis of human tumor cells. We show here that marchantin C induced cell cycle arrest at G(2)/M phase in A172 and HeLa cells. In addition, marchantin C decreased the quantity of microtubules in a time- and dose-dependent manner in these cells. Exposure of purified bovine brain tubulin to marchantin C inhibited polymerization of gross tubulin in vitro. Moreover, marchantin C potently suppressed the growth of human cervical carcinoma xenografts in nude mice. Marchantin C-treated xenografts showed decreased microtubules, Bcl-2 and increased cyclin B1, Bax, caspase-3, indicating that marchantin C possess the same ability to induce microtubules depolymerization and tumor cell apoptosis in tumor-bearing mice as in vitro. In conclusion, marchantin C is a novel microtubule inhibitor that induces mitotic arrest of tumor cells and suppresses tumor cell growth, exhibiting promising antitumor therapeutic potential.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Bibenzyls; Catechols; Cell Division; Cell Line, Tumor; Ethers, Cyclic; Female; G2 Phase; Humans; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Microtubules; Phenyl Ethers; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays