(-)-Anonaine induces apoptosis through Bax- and caspase-dependent pathways in human cervical cancer (HeLa) cells.

(-)-Anonaine has been shown to have some anticancer activities, but the mechanisms of (-)-anonaine inducing cell death of human cancer cells is not fully understood. We investigated the mechanisms of apoptosis induced by (-)-anonaine in human HeLa cancer cells. Treatment with (-)-anonaine induces dose-dependent DNA damage that is correlated with increased intracellular nitric oxide, reactive oxygen species, glutathione depletion, disruptive mitochondrial transmembrane potential, activation of caspase 3, 7, 8, and 9, and poly ADP ribose polymerase cleavage. Our data indicate that (-)-anonaine up-regulated the expression of Bax and p53 proteins in HeLa cancer cells. The apoptosis and expression of Bax induced by (-)-anonaine could be inhibited when the HeLa cells were pretreated with Boc-Asp(OMe)-fmk, which is a broad caspases inhibitor. There was no obvious DNA damage in the (-)-anonaine-treated Madin-Darby canine kidney and Vero cell lines. Both Madin-Darby canine kidney and Vero cell lines are kidney epithelial cellular morphology. These results suggest that (-)-anonaine might be considered a potent compound for chemotherapy against cervical cancer or a health food supplement for cancer chemoprevention.

The anticancer effect of protein-extract from Bidens alba in human colorectal carcinoma SW480 cells via the reactive oxidative species- and glutathione depletion-dependent apoptosis.

Bidens alba has been used for healing cuts, injuries, swellings, hypertension, jaundice, and diabetes in some countries. However, the effect of B. alba on human cancer remains poorly understood. The goal of this study was to investigate whether B. alba protein-extract could have an anticancer property against human colorectal cancer. The human colorectal cancer SW 480 cells treated with the protein-extract of B. alba would cause marked DNA damages and apoptosis-related cellular morphologies. Treatment with 225 microg/ml B. alba protein-extract also led to the SW480 cells to produce readily intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) after 1h of treatment and last to 24 h. The intracellular glutathione (GSH) depletion occurred after 12-24h of treatment. The treatment of the protein-extract would also caused mitochondrial transmembrane potential (DeltaPsi(m)) to decrease and cytosolic cytochrome c to increase. The caspase 3/7 activities were activated from 3 to 6 h after the treatment. The percentages of apoptosis induced by the protein-extract of B. alba decreased 26.4%, 10.1%, and 29.4% when the SW 480 cells were pretreated with Vitamin C, N-acetylcysteine, and Boc-Asp(OMe)-fmk, respectively. Taken together, we demonstrated for the first time that the protein-extract of B. alba could induce apoptosis that was related to the ROS production and GSH depletion in human colorectal cancer. The protein-extract of B. alba might have therapeutic value against the human colorectal cancer.