Abstract
Atractylodes macrocephala is known to exhibit multi-arrays of biologic activity in vitro. However, detail of its anti-tumor activity is lacking. In this study, the effects of atractylenolide I (AT-I), a bio-active compound present in Atractylodes macrocephala rhizome was studied in the human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line HT-29. The results showed that AT-I induced apoptosis of human colon cancer cells through activation of the mitochondria-dependent pathway. The IC50 of AT-I was 277.6 μM, 95.7 μM and 57.4 μM, after 24, 48 and 72 h of incubation with HT-29, respectively. TUNEL and Annexin V-FITC/PI double stain assays showed HT-29 DNA fragmentation after cell treatment with various AT-I concentrations. Western blotting analysis revealed activation of both initiator and executioner caspases, including caspase 3, caspase 7, and caspase 9, as well as PARP, after HT-29 treatment with AT-I via downregulation of pro-survival Bcl-2, and upregulation of anti-survival Bcl-2 family proteins, including Bax, Bak, Bad, Bim, Bid and Puma. The studies show for the first time that AT-I is an effective drug candidate towards the HT-29 cell.
Highlights
Colon adenocarcinoma is the third most common malignant disease in Asia, and the fourth most common cause of cancer-related mortality globally [1]
The emergence of advanced technologies used for early screening, such as colonoscopy, effectively detect and diagnose cases of colon adenocarcinoma [5,6]
The cell viability of the HT-29 cell line was assessed by MTT assay after the cells were treated with various
Summary
Colon adenocarcinoma is the third most common malignant disease in Asia, and the fourth most common cause of cancer-related mortality globally [1]. The incidence of colon adenocarcinoma has increased dramatically, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, which may be due to changes in lifestyle and epigenetic factors [2,3,4]. The emergence of advanced technologies used for early screening, such as colonoscopy, effectively detect and diagnose cases of colon adenocarcinoma [5,6]. Colon adenocarcinoma is often diagnosed at a late cancer stage, partly due to the lack of healthcare support and public awareness of the disease, especially in developing countries [8,9]. Advanced oncology pharmaceutical drugs are available for colon adenocarcinoma, but reoccurrence rate is high. Colon adenocarcinoma remains a major public health burden, especially in
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