12-o-Tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate prevents baicalein-induced apoptosis via activation of protein kinase C and JNKs in human leukemia cells.

Chow JM ，Shen SC ，Wu CY ，Chen YC ... -  《APOPTOSIS》

Mitochondrial-dependent, reactive oxygen species-independent apoptosis by myricetin: roles of protein kinase C, cytochrome c, and caspase cascade.

Ko CH ，Shen SC ，Hsu CS ，Chen YC ... -  《BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY》

Hydroxylation at C4' or C6 is essential for apoptosis-inducing activity of flavanone through activation of the caspase-3 cascade and production of reactive oxygen species.

Ko CH ，Shen SC ，Chen YC 《FREE RADICAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE》

Surfactin induces apoptosis in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells through a ROS/JNK-mediated mitochondrial/caspase pathway.

Surfactin has been known to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in cancer cells. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in surfactin-induced apoptosis remain poorly understood. The present study was undertaken to elucidate the underlying network of signaling events in surfactin-induced apoptosis of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells. In this study, surfactin caused reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and the surfactin-induced cell death was prevented by antioxidants N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and catalase, suggesting involvement of ROS generation in surfactin-induced cell death. Surfactin induced a sustained activation of the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and JNK, but not p38. Moreover, surfactin-induced cell death was reversed by PD98059 (an inhibitor of ERK1/2) and SP600125 (an inhibitor of JNK), but not by SB203580 (an inhibitor of p38). However, the phosphorylation of JNK rather than ERK1/2 activation by surfactin was blocked by NAC/catalase. These results suggest that the action of surfactin on MCF-7 cells was via ERK1/2 and JNK, but not via p38, and the ERK1/2 and JNK activation induce apoptosis through two independent signaling mechanisms. Surfactin triggered the mitochondrial/caspase apoptotic pathway indicated by enhanced Bax-to-Bcl-2 expression ratio, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, cytochrome c release, and caspase cascade reaction. The NAC and SP600125 blocked these events induced by surfactin. Moreover, the general caspase inhibitor z-VAD-FMK inhibited the caspase-6 activity and exerted the protective effect against the surfactin-induced cell death. Taken together, these findings suggest that the surfactin induces apoptosis through a ROS/JNK-mediated mitochondrial/caspase pathway.

Cao XH ，Wang AH ，Wang CL ，Mao DZ ，Lu MF ，Cui YQ ，Jiao RZ ... -  《-》

Differential apoptosis-inducing effect of quercetin and its glycosides in human promyeloleukemic HL-60 cells by alternative activation of the caspase 3 cascade.

Flavonoids were demonstrated to possess several biological effects including antitumor, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities in our previous studies. However, the effect of glycosylation on their biological functions is still undefined. In the present study, the apoptosis-inducing activities of three structure-related flavonoids including aglycone quercetin (QUE), and glycone rutin (RUT; QUE-3-O-rutinoside), and glycone quercitrin (QUI; QUE-3-O-rhamnoside) were studied. Both RUT and QUI are QUE glycosides, and possess rutinose and rhamnose at the C3 position of QUE, respectively. Results of the MTT assay showed that QUE, but not RUT and QUI, exhibits significant cytotoxic effect on HL-60 cells, accompanied by the dose- and time-dependent appearance of characteristics of apoptosis including an increase in DNA ladder intensity, morphological changes, apoptotic bodies, and an increase in hypodiploid cells by flow cytometry analysis. QUE, but not RUT or QUI, caused rapid and transient induction of caspase 3/CPP32 activity, but not caspase 1 activity, according to cleavage of caspase 3 substrates poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and D4-GDI proteins, and the appearance of cleaved caspase 3 fragments being detected in QUE- but not RUT- or QUI-treated HL-60 cells. A decrease in the anti-apoptotic protein, Mcl-1, was detected in QUE-treated HL-60 cells, whereas other Bcl-2 family proteins including Bax, Bcl-2, Bcl-XL, and Bag remained unchanged. The caspase 3 inhibitor, Ac-DEVD-FMK, but not the caspase 1 inhibitor, Ac-YVAD-FMK, attenuated QUE-induced cell death. Results of DCHF-DA assay indicate that no significant increase in intracellular peroxide level was found in QUE-treated cells, and QUE inhibited the H(2)O(2)-induced intracellular peroxide level. Free radical scavengers N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) and catalase showed no prevention of QUE-induced apoptosis. In addition, QUE did not induce apoptosis in an mature monocytic cell line THP-1, as characterized by a lack of DNA ladders, caspase 3 activation, PARP cleavage, and an Mcl-1 decrease, compared with those in HL-60 cells. Our experiments provide evidence to indicate that the addition of rutinose or rhamnose attenuates the apoptosis-inducing activity of QUE, and that the caspase 3 cascade but not free radical production is involved.

Shen SC ，Chen YC ，Hsu FL ，Lee WR ... -  《JOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY》