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Brucea javanica fruit induces cytotoxicity and apoptosis in pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines
Author(s) -
Lau Sin Ting,
Lin ZhiXiu,
Zhao Ming,
Leung Po Sing
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
phytotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.019
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1573
pISSN - 0951-418X
DOI - 10.1002/ptr.2344
Subject(s) - apoptosis , cytotoxicity , dna fragmentation , cytotoxic t cell , camptothecin , pancreatic cancer , traditional medicine , cell culture , western blot , biology , mtt assay , cancer research , adenocarcinoma , programmed cell death , pharmacology , chemistry , cancer , medicine , biochemistry , in vitro , gene , genetics
Brucea javanica fruit is thought to have anticancer properties in Chinese medicine and its extract has been shown to possess antiproliferative and pro‐apoptotic activities on human carcinoma cells. In the present study we demonstrated for the first time that Fructus Bruceae extract exhibited cytotoxic effects on the three pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines, PANC‐1, SW1990 and CAPAN‐1; the effects were comparable to those exhibited by camptothecin in our culture system. In addition, Fructus Bruceae extract induced fragmentation of genomic DNA, as evidenced by Hoechst staining and the cell death detection ELISA PLUS assay. Western blot analysis further showed down‐regulation of pro‐caspase 3 protein expression, indicating that the observed cytotoxic effects of the extract were associated with induction of apoptosis. These findings are not only significant in the development of traditional Chinese medicine as an alternative treatment for pancreatic cancer, but also in the elucidation of the potential mechanism(s) of Fructus Bruceae extract in cancer therapy. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.