Anti-tumor effect of α-pinene on human hepatoma cell lines through inducing G2/M cell cycle arrest

J Pharmacol Sci. 2015 Mar;127(3):332-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jphs.2015.01.008. Epub 2015 Feb 7.

Abstract

Pine needle oil from crude extract of pine needles has been used as an anti-cancer agent in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The α-pinene is a natural compound isolated from pine needle oil which has been shown anti-cancer activity. In previous study, we found that pine needle oil exhibited significant inhibitory effect on hepatoma carcinoma BEL-7402 cells. In this study, we investigate the inhibition of α-pinene on hepatoma carcinoma BEL-7402 cells in vitro and in vivo and further explore the mechanism. The results show that liver cancer cell growth was inhibited obviously with inhibitory rate of 79.3% in vitro and 69.1% in vivo, Chk1 and Chk2 levels were upregulated, CyclinB, CDC25 and CDK1 levels were downregulated.

Keywords: BEL-7402 cells; In vitro and in vivo; Liver cancer; Mechanism; α-Pinene.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic*
  • Bicyclic Monoterpenes
  • CDC2 Protein Kinase
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / drug therapy
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology*
  • Checkpoint Kinase 1
  • Checkpoint Kinase 2 / metabolism
  • Cyclin B / metabolism
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / metabolism
  • Down-Regulation / drug effects
  • G2 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Liver Neoplasms / genetics
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology*
  • M Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / genetics*
  • Mice, Nude
  • Monoterpenes / isolation & purification
  • Monoterpenes / pharmacology*
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Phytotherapy
  • Pinus / chemistry*
  • Plant Oils / chemistry*
  • Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Up-Regulation / drug effects

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Bicyclic Monoterpenes
  • Cyclin B
  • Monoterpenes
  • Plant Oils
  • Protein Kinases
  • Checkpoint Kinase 2
  • CHEK1 protein, human
  • Checkpoint Kinase 1
  • Chek1 protein, mouse
  • CDC2 Protein Kinase
  • CDK1 protein, human
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinases
  • alpha-pinene