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Anticancer activity of A shwagandha against human head and neck cancer cell lines
Author(s) -
Lee HaengEun,
Shin JiAe,
Jeong Joseph H.,
Jeon JaeGyu,
Lee MinHo,
Cho SungDae
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of oral pathology and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.887
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1600-0714
pISSN - 0904-2512
DOI - 10.1111/jop.12353
Subject(s) - apoptosis , gene knockdown , downregulation and upregulation , head and neck squamous cell carcinoma , withaferin a , programmed cell death , mitochondrion , caspase 9 , cytochrome c , chemistry , cancer research , cell culture , caspase , cell , microbiology and biotechnology , cancer cell , biology , cancer , head and neck cancer , biochemistry , medicine , pathology , gene , genetics , alternative medicine , withania somnifera
Background The aim of this study was to determine the apoptotic activity of methanol extract of Ashwagandha ( MEAG ) and in human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma ( HNSCC ) cells and to investigate the underlying mechanisms. Methods We investigated the effects of MEAG on programmed cell death in HNSCC cells using a Live/Dead assay, detection of nuclear morphologic changes, Mitotracker, si RNA knockdown, and RT ‐ PCR . Results Treatment with MEAG showed dose‐dependent growth‐inhibitory activity that attribute to caspase‐dependent apoptosis. Loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, release of cytochrome c , and activation of caspase 9 suggested that MEAG leads to activation of mitochondria‐mediated apoptosis. MEAG selectively upregulated the expression of Bim protein at the transcriptional level and induced the translocation of Bim into the mitochondria. Knockdown of Bim by si RNA partially blocked MEAG ‐mediated apoptosis. MEAG also caused an increase in truncated Bid (t‐Bid), cleaved caspase‐8, and death receptor 5 ( DR 5). Interestingly, withaferin A ( WA ), a bioactive component of MEAG , clearly induced apoptosis accompanied by upregulation of Bim, t‐Bid, caspase‐8, and DR 5 similar to the effects of MEAG . Conclusions These suggest that MEAG and WA may be potential natural materials for the treatment of HNSCC .