Induction of apoptosis by the Anthocyanidins through regulation of Bcl-2 gene and activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase cascade in hepatoma cells.

Abstract

Anthocyanidins that are reddish pigments widely distributed in fruit and vegetables have been reported to possess antioxidant and anticancer activities. To understand the molecular basis of the putative anticancer activity of anthocyanidins, we investigated the antiproliferation effects of anthocyanidins in human hepatoma cell lines. Delphinidin, cyanidin, and malvidin exhibited strong growth inhibitory effects against human hepatoma HepG(2), but were less effective against Hep3B. According to the appearance of the caspase-3 fragments and stimulated proteolytic cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in time-dependent studies, delphinidin induced apoptotic cell death characterized by internucleosomal DNA fragmentation and caused a rapid induction of caspase-3 activity. RT-PCR and Western blot data revealed that delphinidin stimulated an increase in the c-Jun and JNK phosphorylation expression at mRNA and protein levels, respectively. Moreover, delphinidin-induced apoptotic cell death was accompanied by up-regulation of Bax and down-regulation of Bcl-2 protein. Dephinidin-induced DNA fragmentation was blocked by N-acetyl-l-cysteine and catalase, suggesting that the death signaling was triggered by oxidative stress. Our experiments provide evidence that delphinidin is an effective apoptosis inducer in HepG(2) cells through regulation of Bcl-2 family moleculars and activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase cascade. The results suggest that induction of apoptosis by anthocyanidins is a pivotal mechanism of their cancer chemopreventive functions.

• Authors: Chi-Tai Yeh, Gow-Chin Yen
• Journal: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry (J Agric Food Chem) Vol. 53 Issue 5 Pg. 1740-9 (Mar 09 2005) ISSN: 0021-8561 [Print] United States
• PMID: 15740068 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anthocyanins
• RNA, Messenger
• Reactive Oxygen Species
• JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
• CASP3 protein, human
• Caspase 3
• Caspases
• delphinidin

Topics

• Anthocyanins (pharmacology)
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Carcinoma, Hepatocellular
• Caspase 3
• Caspases (metabolism)
• Cell Division
• DNA Fragmentation
• Enzyme Activation (drug effects)
• Gene Expression Regulation (drug effects)
• Genes, bcl-2 (genetics)
• Humans
• JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (metabolism)
• Liver Neoplasms
• RNA, Messenger (analysis)
• Reactive Oxygen Species (metabolism)
• Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Tumor Cells, Cultured