Carnosic acid sensitized TRAIL-mediated apoptosis through down-regulation of c-FLIP and Bcl-2 expression at the post translational levels and CHOP-dependent up-regulation of DR5, Bim, and PUMA expression in human carcinoma caki cells.

Carnosic acid is a phenolic diterpene from rosmarinus officinalis, and has multiple functions, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-tumor activity. In this study, we examined whether carnosic acid could sensitize TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in human renal carcinoma Caki cells. We found that carnosic acid markedly induced TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in human renal carcinoma (Caki, ACHN, and A498), and human hepatocellular carcinoma (SK-HEP-1), and human breast carcinoma (MDA-MB-231) cells, but not normal cells (TMCK-1 and HSF). Carnosic acid induced down-regulation of c-FLIP and Bcl-2 expression at the post-translational levels, and the over-expression of c-FLIP and Bcl-2 markedly blocked carnosic acid-induced TRAIL sensitization. Furthermore, carnosic acid induced death receptor (DR)5, Bcl-2 interacting mediator of cell death (Bim), and p53 up-regulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA) expression at the transcriptional levels via CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-homologous protein (CHOP). Down-regulation of CHOP expression by siRNA inhibited DR5, Bim, and PUMA expression, and attenuated carnosic acid plus TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Taken together, our study demonstrates that carnosic acid enhances sensitization against TRAIL-mediated apoptosis through the down-regulation of c-FLIP and Bcl-2 expression, and up-regulation of ER stress-mediated DR5, Bim, and PUMA expression at the transcriptional levels.

Oleifolioside B-mediated autophagy promotes apoptosis in A549 human non-small cell lung cancer cells.

The biochemical mechanisms of cell death by oleifolioside B (OB), a cycloartane-type triterpene glycoside isolated from Dendropanax morbifera Leveille, were investigated in A549 human lung carcinoma cells. Our data indicated that exposure to OB led to caspase activation and typical features of apoptosis; however, apoptotic cell death was not prevented by z-VAD-fmk, a pan-caspase inhibitor, demonstrating that OB-induced apoptosis was independent of caspase activation. Subsequently, we found that OB increased autophagy, as indicated by an increase in monodansylcadaverine fluorescent dye-labeled autophagosome formation and in the levels of the autophagic form of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 and Atg3, an autophagy-specific gene, which is associated with inhibiting phospho-nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression. However, pretreatment with bafilomycin A1, an autophagy inhibitor, attenuated OB-induced apoptosis and dephosphorylation of Nrf2. The data suggest that OB-induced autophagy functions as a death mechanism in A549 cells and OB has potential as a novel anticancer agent capable of targeting apoptotic and autophagic cell death and the Nrf2 signaling pathway.

The sesquiterpene lactone eupatolide sensitizes breast cancer cells to TRAIL through down-regulation of c-FLIP expression.

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a promising candidate for cancer therapeutics due to its ability to induce apoptosis selectively in cancer cells. However, sensitivity of cancer cells for induction of apoptosis by TRAIL varies considerably. Therefore, it is important to develop agents that overcome this resistance. We show, for the first time, that eupatolide, the sesquiterpene lactone isolated from the medicinal plant Inula britannica, sensitizes human breast cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Treatment with TRAIL in combination with subtoxic concentrations of eupatolide enhanced the TRAIL-induced cytotoxicity in MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-453 breast cancer cells, whereas each reagent alone slightly induced cell death. The combination induced sub-G1 phase DNA content and annexin V-staining in MCF-7 cells, which are major features of apoptosis. Apoptotic characteristics induced by the combined treatment were significantly inhibited by a pan-caspase inhibitor. The sensitization to TRAIL-induced apoptosis was accompanied by the activation of caspase-8 and was concomitant with Bid and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage. Treatment of eupatolide alone significantly down-regulated the expression of cellular FLICE inhibitory protein (c-FLIP) in MCF-7 cells. Furthermore, enforced expression of c-FLIP significantly attenuated the apoptosis induced by this combination in MCF-7 cells, suggesting a key role for c-FLIP down-regulation in these events. We also observed that euaptolide inhibited AKT phosphorylation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Moreover, inhibition of Akt by LY294002, a specific PI3K inhibitor, down-regulated c-FLIP expression in MCF-7 cells. Taken together, these results indicate that eupatolide could augment TRAIL-induced apoptosis in human breast cancer cells by down-regulating c-FLIP expression through the inhibition of AKT phosphorylation and be a valuable compound to overcome TRAIL resistance in breast cancer cells.