pregna-4-17-diene-3-16-dione and Colorectal-Neoplasms

The plant sterol guggulsterone has recently been shown to have anti-tumorigenic potential. This study was designed to investigate the anti-tumor efficacy of guggulsterone and to elucidate its molecular mechanisms in colon cancer. Guggulsterone significantly increased apoptosis in HT-29 cells by activating caspases-3 and -8. Furthermore, guggulsterone decreased cIAP-1, cIAP-2, and Bcl-2 levels and increased the levels of truncated Bid, Fas, p-JNK, and p-c-Jun. The size of HT-29 xenograft tumors in guggulsterone-treated mice was significantly smaller than of the size of tumors in control mice. The present study suggests a potential therapeutic use for this compound in the treatment of colorectal cancer.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Apoptosis; Baculoviral IAP Repeat-Containing 3 Protein; BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein; Caspase 3; Caspase 9; Cell Proliferation; Colorectal Neoplasms; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Enzyme Activation; fas Receptor; HT29 Cells; Humans; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; Male; Mice; Mice, Nude; Phosphorylation; Pregnenediones; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; Time Factors; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays