LY303511 displays antiproliferation potential against oral cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

LY303511 was developed as a negative control of LY294002 without pan-phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibition. We hypothesize LY303511 generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) to induce apoptosis for killing oral cancer cells. In MTS assay, LY303511 dose-responsively decreases survival in three kinds of oral cancer cells but little damage to normal oral cells (HGF-1). Two oral cancer cells (CAL 27 and SCC-9) with highly sensitivity to LY303511 were used. In 7-aminoactinomycin D (7AAD) assay, LY303511 slightly increases subG1 population in oral cancer cells. In annexin V/7AAD and/or pancaspase assays, LY303511 induces apoptosis in oral cancer cells but HGF-1 cells remains in basal level. In oxidative stress, LY303511 induces ROS and mitochondrial superoxide in oral cancer cells. In 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine assay, LY303511 induces oxidative DNA damage in oral cancer cells. In zebrafish model, LY303511 inhibits CAL 27-xenografted tumor growth. Therefore, LY303511 displays antiproliferation potential against oral cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

Withaferin A Triggers Apoptosis and DNA Damage in Bladder Cancer J82 Cells through Oxidative Stress.

Withaferin A (WFA), the Indian ginseng bioactive compound, exhibits an antiproliferation effect on several kinds of cancer, but it was rarely reported in bladder cancer cells. This study aims to assess the anticancer effect and mechanism of WFA in bladder cancer cells. WFA shows antiproliferation to bladder cancer J82 cells based on the finding of the MTS assay. WFA disturbs cell cycle progression associated with subG1 accumulation in J82 cells. Furthermore, WFA triggers apoptosis as determined by flow cytometry assays using annexin V/7-aminoactinomycin D and pancaspase detection. Western blotting also supports WFA-induced apoptosis by increasing cleavage of caspases 3, 8, and 9 and poly ADP-ribose polymerase. Mechanistically, WFA triggers oxidative stress-association changes, such as the generation of reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial superoxide and diminishment of the mitochondrial membrane potential, in J82 cells. In response to oxidative stresses, mRNA for antioxidant signaling, such as nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2 (NFE2L2), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), thioredoxin (TXN), glutathione-disulfide reductase (GSR), quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1), and heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1), are overexpressed in J82 cells. In addition, WFA causes DNA strand breaks and oxidative DNA damages. Moreover, the ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine reverts all tested WFA-modulating effects. In conclusion, WFA possesses anti-bladder cancer effects by inducing antiproliferation, apoptosis, and DNA damage in an oxidative stress-dependent manner.

Methanol Extract of Usnea barbata Induces Cell Killing, Apoptosis, and DNA Damage against Oral Cancer Cells through Oxidative Stress.

Some lichens provide the resources of common traditional medicines and show anticancer effects. However, the anticancer effect of Usnproliea barbata (U. barbata) is rarely investigated, especially for oral cancer cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the cell killing function of methanol extracts of U. barbata (MEUB) against oral cancer cells. MEUB shows preferential killing against a number of oral cancer cell lines (Ca9-22, OECM-1, CAL 27, HSC3, and SCC9) but rarely affects normal oral cell lines (HGF-1). Ca9-22 and OECM-1 cells display the highest sensitivity to MEUB and were chosen for concentration effect and time course experiments to address its cytotoxic mechanisms. MEUB induces apoptosis of oral cancer cells in terms of the findings from flow cytometric assays and Western blotting, such as subG1 accumulation, annexin V detection, and pancaspase activation as well as poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage. MEUB induces oxidative stress and DNA damage of oral cancer cells following flow cytometric assays, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS)/mitochondrial superoxide (MitoSOX) production, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) depletion as well as overexpression of γH2AX and 8-oxo-2'deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG). All MEUB-induced changes in oral cancer cells were triggered by oxidative stress which was validated by pretreatment with antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC). In conclusion, MEUB causes preferential killing of oral cancer cells and is associated with oxidative stress, apoptosis, and DNA damage.

Ethyl Acetate Extract of Nepenthes ventricosa x maxima Exerts Preferential Killing to Oral Cancer Cells.

Nepenthes plants are a folk medicine in many Southeast Asia countries for curing diseases but its anticancer effect is rarely investigated. The objectives of this study were to investigate the antioral cancer ability of ethyl acetate extract of Nepenthes ventricosa x maxima (EANV). The preferential killing ability of EANV was determined by MTS-based cell viability assays. The bioactive effects were further screened by flow cytometry for apoptosis, oxidative stress, and DNA damage. At 24 h treatment, EANV dose dependently decreased six types of oral cancer cells, but the normal oral cells (HGF-1) kept a 90% viability. EANV also showed chronic antiproliferative effects and inhibited 3D sphere formation ability of oral cancer cells. Ca9-22 and CAL 27 oral cancer cells with high response to EANV increased subG1 populations and enhanced Annexin V- and pancaspase-detected apoptosis in these cells. EANV also induced the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial superoxide and the dysfunction of mitochondrial membrane potential. Moreover, the oxidative DNA damage level such as 8-oxo-2'deoxyguanosine was increased in EANV-treated oral cancer cells. Taken together, EANV has a preferential killing effect against oral cancer cells associated with oxidative stress, apoptosis, and DNA damage, suggesting EANV as a potential antioral cancer agent.