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Anti-proliferative Effect of Physcion on Human Gastric Cell Line via Inducing ROS-Dependent Apoptosis

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Abstract

In this study, the anti-proliferative effect of physcion, an anthraquinone derivative isolated and characterized from both terrestrial and marine sources, against human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells was investigated and the underlying mechanisms were explored. Physcion reduced SGC-7901 cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner, as demonstrated by MTT assay. It triggered the mitochondrial/caspase apoptotic pathway indicated by loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and cytochrome c release. Moreover, physcion induced a sustained activation of the phosphorylation of AMPK, and compound C (an inhibitor of AMPK) significantly reversed physcion-induced apoptosis in SGC-7901 cells. In addition, physcion provoked the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in SGC-7901 cells, while the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine almost completely blocked physcion-induced AMPK activation and apoptosis. Taken together, these findings suggest that physcion induces apoptosis through a ROS/AMPK-dependent mitochondrial pathway.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Application Foundation Project of Science & Technology Agency of Sichuan Province (14JC0804).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Luzhou Medical College, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China

    Yuxia Xiong

  2. Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Luzhou Medical College, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China

    Lei Ren, Zhengchuan Hu & Yejiang Zhou

  3. Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Luzhou Medical College, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China

    Zhongqiong Wang

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  1. Yuxia Xiong
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  2. Lei Ren
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  4. Zhengchuan Hu
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Correspondence to Yejiang Zhou.

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Xiong, Y., Ren, L., Wang, Z. et al. Anti-proliferative Effect of Physcion on Human Gastric Cell Line via Inducing ROS-Dependent Apoptosis. Cell Biochem Biophys 73, 537–543 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12013-015-0674-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12013-015-0674-9

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