salvianolic-acid-B and Colorectal-Neoplasms

Salvianolic acid B (SalB) a water‑soluble phenolic compound, extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza, has previously been demonstrated to reverse tumor multidrug resistance (MDR), including in colorectal cancer. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are oxygen radicals generated during aerobic metabolism (superoxide and hydroxyl radicals) and superoxide easily generating free radicals (H2O2). The concept that increased ROS levels can lead to augmented tumor cell‑sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs has become notable. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the role of ROS in mediating the effect of SalB on drug resistance and the correlation with drug resistance‑associated protein, P‑glycoprotein (P‑gp), and apoptosis‑associated proteins, B‑cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl‑2) and Bcl‑2‑associated X (Bax). In the current study, through utilizing the multidrug resistant colorectal cancer cell line, HCT‑8/VCR, it was demonstrate that SalB reversed MDR in HCT‑8/VCR. In addition, SalB significantly increased ROS levels, which may have accelerated the apoptosis of HCT‑8/VCR cells by downregulating Bcl‑2 and increasing Bax protein expression. Furthermore the increased intracellular ROS levels may have inhibited P‑gp expression at the gene and protein levels. In conclusion, the data of the current study demonstrate that SalB reversed MDR in HCT‑8/VCR cells, and the effect is associated with increased ROS levels, which may downregulate P‑gp expression and promote tumor cell apoptosis, which in turn increases the sensitivity of drug‑resistant cells to chemotherapy drugs.

Topics: Acetylcysteine; Antineoplastic Agents; ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1; bcl-2-Associated X Protein; Benzofurans; Cell Line, Tumor; Colorectal Neoplasms; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; Reactive Oxygen Species

Salvianolic Acid B (Sal B), an active compound extracted from the Chinese herb Salvia miltiorrhiza, is attracting more and more attention due to its biological activities, including antioxidant, anticoagulant and antitumor effects. However, autophagy induction in cancer cells by Sal B has never been recognized. In this study, we demonstrated that Sal B induced cell death and triggered autophagy in HCT116 and HT29 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Specific inhibition of autophagy by 3-MA or shRNA targeting Atg5 rescued Sal B-induced cell death in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that Sal B-induced autophagy may play a pro-death role and contribute to the cell death of colorectal cancer cell lines. Furthermore, AKT/mTOR signaling pathway was demonstrated to be a critical mediator in regulating Sal B-induced cell death. Overexpression of AKT by the transfection with AKT plasmid or pretreatment with insulin decreased Sal B-induced autophagy and cell death. Inversely, inhibition of AKT by LY294002 treatment markedly enhanced Sal B-induced autophagy and cell death. Taken together, our results demonstrate, for the first time, that Sal B is a novel autophagy inducer and exerts its antitumor activity as a single agent in colorectal cancer cells through the suppression of AKT/mTOR pathway.

Topics: Adenine; Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Autophagosomes; Autophagy; Autophagy-Related Protein 5; Benzofurans; Chromones; Colorectal Neoplasms; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Female; HCT116 Cells; HT29 Cells; Humans; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Nude; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Morpholines; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; RNA Interference; RNA, Small Interfering; Salvia miltiorrhiza; Signal Transduction; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays