Open AccessDeltonin, a Steroidal Saponin, Inhibits Colon Cancer Cell Growth <i>in Vitro</i> and Tumor Growth <i>in Vivo</i> via Induction of Apoptosis and Antiangiogenesis
Author(s) -
Qingyi Tong,
Yong Qing,
Dan Shu,
Yang He,
Ying Zhao,
Yi Li,
Zhen Ling Wang,
Shi Yuan Zhang,
Zhi Hua Xing,
Xu Cheng,
Yu Quan Wei,
Wen Huang,
Wei Xiao
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
cellular physiology and biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.486
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1421-9778
pISSN - 1015-8987
DOI - 10.1159/000327949
Subject(s) - apoptosis , angiogenesis , in vivo , cancer research , cytotoxic t cell , cancer cell , cancer , kinase , biology , pharmacology , medicine , in vitro , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry
Deltonin, a steroidal saponin, isolated from Dioscorea zingiberensis Wright (DZW), has shown high-cytotoxic activity in cancer cells. However, its mechanisms and in vivo anti-cancer effects remain unknown. In the present study, we evaluated the effects and explored the anti-tumor mechanisms of deltonin on a panel of colon cancer cell lines and in a mouse model of murine colon cancer C26. Deltonin had more cytotoxic effect on C26 cells than 5-fluorouracil had, promoting dramatic G2-M phase arrest and apoptosis in C26 cells in a concentration-dependent manner; oral administration of deltonin significantly inhibited the tumor growth and prolonged survival of the tumor bearing mice. The deltonin treatment caused a noticeable apoptosis in tumor tissue, which associated with increased levels of Bax, activated caspase-3, caspase-9, and cleaved poly (ADPribose) polymerase, decreased pro-caspase-8, pro-caspase-9, Bcl-2 expression levels and extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2 activity; and dose-dependently inhibit angiogenesis. In conclusion, the findings in this study demonstrated that deltonin is an effective natural agent for cancer therapy, which may be mediated, in part, by induction of apoptosis, as well as involve mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways, and inhibition of angiogenesis.