p-Coumaroyl Malate Derivatives of the Pandanus amaryllifolius Leaf and Their Isomerization.

A novel p-coumaroyl dimethyl malate (1) was isolated from the Pandanus amaryllifolius leaf in addition to three known analogs of p-coumaroyl dimethyl malate (2-4), and their structures were elucidated by analysis of the spectroscopic data. The p-coumaroyl malate derivatives were isolated as a mixture of E and Z isomers. To determine the cause of isomerization, the p-coumaroyl malate isolated in this study was synthesized. We concluded that the Z isomer might be an artifact generated from the E isomer through purification steps.

Lipase-immobilized biocatalytic membranes for biodiesel production.

Microbial lipase from Candida rugosa (Amano AY-30) has good transesterification activity and can be used for biodiesel production. In this study, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane was grafted with 1,4-diaminobutane and activated by glutaraldehyde for C. rugosa lipase immobilization. After immobilization, the biocatalytic membrane was used for producing biodiesel from soybean oil and methanol via transesterification. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) in combination with a 5-level-5-factor central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was employed to evaluate the effects of reaction time, reaction temperature, enzyme amount, substrate molar ratio and water content on the yield of soybean oil methyl ester. By ridge max analysis, the predicted and experimental yields under the optimum synthesis conditions were 97% and 95%, respectively. The lipase-immobilized PVDF membrane showed good reuse ability for biodiesel production, enabling operation for at least 165 h during five reuses of the batch, without significant loss of activity.

Anti-proliferative effects of evodiamine on human thyroid cancer cell line ARO.

The incidence of thyroid cancer increases with age, and it is twice in women as common as in men. The undifferentiated thyroid cancer (UTC) is the most aggressive of all thyroid cancers. Unfortunately, there are almost no efficacious therapeutic modalities. It is important to develop some new effective therapies. Evodiamine is a chemical extracted from a kind of Chinese herb named Wu-Chu-Yu and has been demonstrated to be effective in preventing the growth of a variety of cancer cells. In the present study, the mechanism by which evodiamine inhibited the undifferentiated thyroid cancer cell line ARO was examined. Based on 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol -2-yle)2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, cell proliferation rate was reduced dose-dependently by evodiamine, but not by rutaecarpine. According to the flow cytometric analysis, evodiamine treatment resulted in G2/M arrest and DNA fragmentation in ARO cells. The G2/M arrest was accompanied with an increase of the expression of cdc25C, cyclin B1, and cdc2-p161 protein, and it was also with a decrease of the expression of cdc2-p15. Furthermore, by using the TUNEL assay, evodiamine-induced apoptosis was observed at 48 h and extended to 72 h. Western blotting demonstrated that evodiamine treatment induced the activation of caspase-8, caspase-9, caspase-3, and the cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP). These results suggested that evodiamine inhibited the growth of the ARO cells, arrested them at M phase, and induced apoptosis through caspases signaling.

Anti-proliferative effects of evodiamine on human prostate cancer cell lines DU145 and PC3.

Prostate carcinoma is one of the most common malignant tumors and has become a more common cancer in men. Previous studies demonstrated that evodiamine (EVO) exhibited anti-tumor activities on several cancers, but its effects on androgen-independent prostate cancer are unclear. In the present study, the action mechanisms of EVO on the growth of androgen-independent prostate cancer cells (DU145 and PC3 cells) were explored. EVO dramatically inhibited the growth and elevated cytotoxicity of DU145 and PC3 cells. The flow cytometric analysis of EVO-treated cells indicated a block of G2/M phase and an elevated level of DNA fragmentation. The G2/M arrest was accompanied by elevated Cdc2 kinase activity, an increase in expression of cyclin B1 and phosphorylated Cdc2 (Thr 161), and a decrease in expression of phosphorylated Cdc2 (Tyr 15), Myt-1, and interphase Cdc25C. TUNEL examination showed that EVO-induced apoptosis was observed at 72 h. EVO elevated the activities of caspase 3, 8, and 9 in DU145 cells, while in PC3 cells only the activities of caspase 3 and 9 were elevated. EVO also triggered the processing of caspase 3 and 9 in both DU145 and PC3 cells. We demonstrate that roscovitine treatment result in the reversion of G2/M arrest in response to EVO in both DU145 and PC3. However, inhibitory effect of roscovitine on EVO-induced apoptosis could only be observed in DU145 rather than PC3. In DU145, G2/M arrest might be a signal for initiation of EVO-triggered apoptosis. Whereas EVO-triggered PC3 apoptosis might be independent of G2/M arrest. These results suggested that EVO inhibited the growth of prostate cancer cell lines, DU145 and PC3, through an accumulation at G2/M phase and an induction of apoptosis.

Inhibitory effects of evodiamine on the growth of human prostate cancer cell line LNCaP.

Evodiamine, isolated from a Chinese herbal drug named Wu-Chu-Yu, possesses many biological functions. Recently, it has been reported that Wu-Chu-Yu exerts an antiproliferative effect on several cancers. Prostate carcinoma initially occurs as an androgen-dependent tumor and is the second leading cause of cancer death in American males. In the present study, the effect of evodiamine on the growth of androgen-dependent prostate cancer cell line LNCaP in vitro was examined. Based on [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yle)2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] (MTT) assay, evodiamine significantly inhibited the growth of LNCaP cells in a concentration-dependent manner. A significant and concentration-dependent inhibitory effect of evodiamine on LNCaP cell growth was observed at 24 hr and persisted for 96 hr. The examination of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay showed that the cytotoxic effects of evodiamine on LNCaP cells were concentration dependent. Furthermore, we examined the influences of evodiamine on cell death and cell cycle. The flow cytometric analysis of evodiamine-treated cells indicated a block of G2/M phase and an elevated level of DNA fragmentation. The G2/M arrest reached a maximum at 24 hr after evodiamine treatment. The G2/M arrest was accompanied by an elevated p34(cdc2) kinase activity and an increase in the protein expression of cyclin B1 and phosphorylated form of p34(cdc2) (Thr 161). Examination of TUNEL showed that evodiamine-induced apoptosis was observed at 24 hr and extended for 72 hr. Evodiamine elevated caspase-3, and caspase-9 activities and the processing of caspase-3 and caspase-9. These results suggested that evodiamine inhibits the growth of prostate cancer cell line, LNCaP, through an accumulation of cell cycle at G2/M phase and an induction of apoptosis.

Effects of bufalin and cinobufagin on the proliferation of androgen dependent and independent prostate cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac glycosides may induce oncolytic effects in cancers. This study was to evaluate bufalin and cinobufagin effects on the proliferation of prostate cancer cell lines named LNCaP, DU145, and PC3. METHODS: Cell proliferation was measured by MTT assay. The cytotoxic effects were determined by lactate dehydrogenase measurements. The intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) was measured by a dual-wavelength spectrometer system. TUNEL assay and flow cytometry were performed to measure percentage of apoptotic cells. A colorimetric assay was to measure caspases activities. RESULTS: Bufalin and cinobufagin inhibited proliferation of cancer cells at doses of 0.1, 1, or 10 microM after 2-4 days of culture. Cytotoxicity of bufalin and cinobufagin on the DU145 and LNCaP cells was dose-dependent. Bufalin or cinobufagin increased [Ca(2+)](i) and apoptosis in cancer cells after a 24-hr culture as well as caspase 3 activities in DU145 and PC3 cells and caspase 9 activities in LNCaP cells. CONCLUSIONS: Bufalin and cinobufagin may inhibit the proliferation of prostate cancer cell lines associated with sustained elevation of the [Ca(2+)](i) and that of apoptosis.