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The hexane/ethanol extract of licorice induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in DU145 human prostate cancer cells
Author(s) -
Seon Mira,
Choi Hyun Ju,
Lim Soon Sung,
Kim JongSang,
Park Jung Han Yoon
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.700.20
Subject(s) - du145 , apoptosis , cell cycle , cell cycle checkpoint , chemistry , poly adp ribose polymerase , microbiology and biotechnology , cancer cell , pharmacology , biology , biochemistry , cancer , polymerase , dna , genetics , lncap
Licorice is frequently used in traditional oriental medicine and reported to have anti‐carcinogenic effects. This study examined the effects of the hexane/ethanol extract of licorice (HEL) on apoptosis and cell cycle progression of DU145 cells. HPLC analysis revealed that HEL did not contain glycyrrhizin that is known to induce hypertension. Cells were cultured in DMEM/F12 supplemented with 1% charcoal stripped FBS with 0–7.5 μg/mL HEL. HEL dose‐dependently decreased viable cell numbers and DNA synthesis and induced apoptosis in DU145 cells. HEL increased the number of cells with depolarized mitochondrial membranes and induced the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria to the cytosol. Western blot analysis of total cell lysates revealed that HEL increased the levels of Fas and truncated Bid. HEL dose‐dependently increased the levels of cleaved caspase‐9, ‐8, ‐7, ‐3 and poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase. In addition, HEL induced a G1 phase arrest and decreased the protein levels of cyclin‐dependent kinases 2 and 4 and Cyclin A and D1. These results indicate that HEL inhibits DU145 cell growth by the induction of apoptosis and G1 phase arrest and HEL has potential as a cancer chemopreventive agent.