Apoptosis initiation of ß-ionone in SGC-7901 gastric carcinoma cancer cells via a PI3K-AKT pathway.

ß-ionone has been shown to hold potent anti-proliferative and apoptosis induction properties in vitro and in vivo. To investigate the effects of ß-ionone on apoptosis initiation and its possible mechanisms of action, we qualified cell apoptosis, proteins related to apoptosis and a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT pathway in human gastric adenocarcinoma cancer SGC-7901 cells. The results demonstrated that ß-ionone-induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner in SGC-7901 cells treated with ß-ionone (25, 50, 100 and 200 µmol/L) for 24 h. ß-ionone was also shown to induce the expression of cleaved-caspase-3 and inhibit bcl-2 expression in SGC-7901 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The significantly decreased levels of p-PI3K and p-AKT expression were observed in SGC-7901 cells after ß-ionone treatments in a time- and dose-dependent manner (P < 0.01). Thus, the apoptosis induction in SGC-7901 cells by ß-ionone may be regulated through a PI3K-AKT pathway. These results demonstrate a potential mechanism by which ß-ionone to induce apoptosis initiation in SGC-7901 cells.

Effects of beta-ionone on mammary carcinogenesis and antioxidant status in rats treated with DMBA.

Recent chemopreventive studies from our group showed that dietary beta -ionone inhibited 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary carcinogenesis by the inhibition of cell proliferation and apoptosis initiation. In this study, we examined the chemopreventive effects of varied doses of dietary beta -ionone on the development and growth of DMBA-induced rat mammary tumors as well as plasma antioxidant status. beta -ionone treatment groups were given 9, 18, and 36 mmol/kg in the AIN76A diet starting 2 wk prior to DMBA administration and continuing for the 24 wk. Results showed that tumor incidence was dose dependently reduced by 35.4, 68.3, and 87.8%, respectively, compared to the positive control. Tumor sizes were dose dependently smaller, and tumor weight was less in each group, each rat, and each tumor compared to the positive control (P < 0.05). A significant decrease in lipid peroxidation was observed in the tumor-induced rats treated with dietary beta -ionone, whereas the plasma activities of antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase, and the nonenzymatic antioxidant glutathione were increased in the beta -ionone treated rats when compared to control. The levels of catalase and lactate dehydrogenase were remarkably decreased in the beta -ionone treated groups compared to the positive control group. These results suggest that dietary beta -ionone has biologically relevant antioxidant activity and plays a chemopreventive role against DMBA induced mammary gland tumors.

Antioxidant activity of Tartary buckwheat bran extract and its effect on the lipid profile of hyperlipidemic rats.

The effects of Tartary buckwheat bran extract (TBBE) on antioxidation status and on lipid profile were determined in hyperlipemic rats. Seven-week-old male Wistar rats were fed a high-fat diet to induce hyperlipemia with doses of TBBE at 0.2 (low), 0.5 (medium), and 1.0 (high) g/kg of body weight. The positive control group was fed the high-fat diet or supplemented with Gynostemma pantaphyllum total glucoside tablet at 0.032 g/kg of body weight. The negative control group was fed the basal diet. The blood lipids, liver lipids, and antioxidant-related parameters of the rats were measured. The rats fed TBBE indicated that TBBE could effectively reduce serum total triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) when compared to the control groups (P < 0.05). TBBE also reduced liver TC and TG by 36.4 and 73.9% in the low-dose group when compared to the high-fat group (P < 0.05), respectively, presenting remarkable effects in serum triglyceride reduction, antiatherosclerosis, and serum-lipid oxidation resistance. TBBE also raised serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity and antiatheromatous plaque formation index (AAI) and lowered the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), the artherogenic index (AI), and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) in comparison with the control groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). In this study, TBBE was shown to significantly reduce the TG and TC in the serum and liver of rats, raise serum antioxidant activity, and inhibit serum lipid peroxide formation.