Alkaloids from beach spider lily (Hymenocallis littoralis) induce apoptosis of HepG-2 cells by the fas-signaling pathway

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2014;15(21):9319-25. doi: 10.7314/apjcp.2014.15.21.9319.

Abstract

Alkaloids are the most extensively featured compounds of natural anti-tumor herbs, which have attracted much attention in pharmaceutical research. In our previous studies, a mixture of major three alkaloid components (5, 6-dihydrobicolorine, 7-deoxy-trans-dihydronarciclasine, littoraline) from Hymenocallis littoralis were extracted, analyzed and designated as AHL. In this paper, AHL extracts were added to human liver hepatocellular cells HepG-2, human gastric cancer cell SGC-7901, human breast adenocarcinoma cell MCF-7 and human umbilical vein endothelial cell EVC-304, to screen one or more AHL-sensitive tumor cell. Among these cells, HepG-2 was the most sensitive to AHL treatment, a very low dose (0.8μg/ml) significantly inhibiting proliferation . The non- tumor cell EVC-304, however, was not apparently affected. Effect of AHL on HepG-2 cells was then explored. We found that the AHL could cause HepG-2 cycle arrest at G2/M checkpoint, induce apoptosis, and interrupt polymerization of microtubules. In addition, expression of two cell cycle-regulated proteins, CyclinB1 and CDK1, was up-regulated upon AHL treatment. Up-regulation of the Fas, Fas ligand, Caspase-8 and Caspase-3 was observed as well, which might imply roles for the Fas/FsaL signaling pathway in the AHL-induced apoptosis of HepG-2 cells.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkaloids / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Apoptosis / genetics
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival
  • Fas Ligand Protein / drug effects*
  • Fas Ligand Protein / genetics
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Hep G2 Cells / cytology
  • Hep G2 Cells / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Liliaceae*
  • Plant Extracts
  • Reference Values
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects*
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Alkaloids
  • Fas Ligand Protein
  • Plant Extracts