nsc-106399 and Pancreatic-Neoplasms

Pancreatic cancer has been a serious disease worldwide for its high mortality. Cucurbitacin E is a member of triterpenoid family isolated from plants showing antiproliferative activity on various cancer cells. In this study, we have explored whether cucurbitacin E also has an anti-tumor effect on pancreatic cancer cells.. Human pancreatic cancer cells PANC-1 were used to explore the effect and possible mechanisms of cucurbitacin E on cell cycle progression, apoptosis and proliferation.. Cucurbitacin E has inhibited the growth of PANC-1 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and has caused accumulation of cells at the G(2)/M phase as well as apoptosis. Western blotting also showed that cucurbitacin E treatment can inhibit STAT3 phosphorylation while upregulate p53 expression.. Our results suggested that cucurbitacin E may be an effective regimen for the chemotherapy of pancreatic cancer.

Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; Apoptosis; Cell Cycle; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Humans; Pancreas; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Signal Transduction; STAT3 Transcription Factor; Triterpenes