Ursolic acid elicits intrinsic apoptotic machinery by downregulating the phosphorylation of AKT/BAD signaling in human cisplatin ‑resistant oral cancer CAR cells.

Ursolic acid elicits intrinsic apoptotic machinery by downregulating the phosphorylation of AKT/BAD signaling in human cisplatin‑resistant oral cancer CAR cells. Oncol Rep. 2018 Jun 27;: Authors: Chen CF, Yang JS, Chen WK, Lu CC, Chiang JH, Chiu HY, Tsai SC, Juan YN, Huang HJ, Way TD Abstract Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a type of cancer with high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide; it also demonstrates chemotherapeutic resistance. Triterpenoid ursolic acid has been shown to exhibit various biological activities and anticancer effects in several preclinical studies. In our previous study, human cisplatin‑resistant oral cancer CAR cells were established, and the present study aimed to further examine the effects of ursolic acid on CAR cells. The results revealed that ursolic acid inhibited CAR cell viability, as determined using a 3‑(4,5‑dimethylthiazol‑2‑yl)‑2,5‑diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Ursolic acid‑induced cell death was mediated through a caspase‑dependent pathway, determined with the pan‑caspase inhibitor, z‑VAD‑fmk. Ursolic acid also increased the activities of caspase‑3 and caspase‑9 in CAR cells, determined by a colorimetric assay. Specifically, the production of reactive oxygen species and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, detected by flow cytometry, were observed in the ursolic acid‑treated CAR cells. The apoptosis‑associated signaling showed that ursolic acid...
Source: Oncology Reports - Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: Oncol Rep Source Type: research