Bufadienolides from the Bufo viridis toad venom exert cytotoxic effects on cancer cells by inducing cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest

Qiang Dong; Gulmira Turdu; Naziermu Dongmulati; Ayitila Maimaitijang; Haji Akber Aisa; Abulimiti Yili

doi:10.1016/j.tiv.2023.105566

Bufadienolides from the Bufo viridis toad venom exert cytotoxic effects on cancer cells by inducing cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest

Toxicol In Vitro. 2023 Jun:89:105566. doi: 10.1016/j.tiv.2023.105566. Epub 2023 Feb 3.

Authors

Qiang Dong¹, Gulmira Turdu¹, Naziermu Dongmulati¹, Ayitila Maimaitijang¹, Haji Akber Aisa², Abulimiti Yili³

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory Basis of Xinjiang Indigenous Medicinal Plants Resource Utilization, and the Key Laboratory of Chemistry of Plant Resources in Arid Regions Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, South Beijing Road 40-1, Urumqi 830011, People's Republic of China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19(A) Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China.
² State Key Laboratory Basis of Xinjiang Indigenous Medicinal Plants Resource Utilization, and the Key Laboratory of Chemistry of Plant Resources in Arid Regions Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, South Beijing Road 40-1, Urumqi 830011, People's Republic of China.
³ State Key Laboratory Basis of Xinjiang Indigenous Medicinal Plants Resource Utilization, and the Key Laboratory of Chemistry of Plant Resources in Arid Regions Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, South Beijing Road 40-1, Urumqi 830011, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: abu@ms.xjb.ac.cn.

PMID: 36738868
DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2023.105566

Abstract

A series of bufadienolides were isolated from the Bufo viridis toad venom, and their cytotoxic activities against three human cancer cell lines (HeLa, HT-29, MCF7) and a non-cancer cell line (L-O2) were explored using the MTT assay in vitro. All of nine compounds exhibited cytotoxic activities against the three cancer cell lines, with compound D4 exhibiting potent cytotoxic activity against HeLa cells and was better than positive control. Herein, we further evaluated the effect of compound D4 on HeLa cells. The results revealed that compound D4 has excellent cytotoxic effect on HeLa cells by inhibiting cell colony formation and migration, promoting cell apoptosis, increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and arresting of HeLa cells in S and G2/M phases. These findings encourage further work on the chemistry and bioactivity of the Bufo viridis toad venom.

Keywords: Arenobufagin; Bufadienolides; Bufo viridis toad venom; Cell cycle; Cytotoxic activity; ROS.

MeSH terms

Amphibian Venoms* / chemistry
Amphibian Venoms* / pharmacology
Animals
Antineoplastic Agents* / pharmacology
Apoptosis
Bufanolides* / chemistry
Bufanolides* / toxicity
Bufonidae
Cell Cycle Checkpoints
Cell Line, Tumor
HeLa Cells
Humans
Neoplasms*

Substances

Bufanolides
Amphibian Venoms
Antineoplastic Agents