Lupane triterpenes with a carbonyl group at C-20 induce cancer cell apoptosis.

Abstract

We evaluated the effects of various lupane triterpenes on B16 2F2 mouse melanoma cell differentiation and proliferation. All of the compounds tested (numbered 1-6) induced melanogenesis of B16 2F2 cells, a marker of melanoma cell differentiation. Compounds 4-6, which have a carbonyl group at C-20, markedly inhibited the growth of B16 2F2 cells by the induction of apoptosis. Cytotoxic profiles of these lupane triterpenes against human cancer cells demonstrated that compounds 4-6 showed inhibitory effects on the proliferations of leukemia and lung cancer cells, to a greater extent than other cancer and normal fibroblast cells. These results suggest that the carbonyl group at C-20 of lupane triterpenes played important roles in their apoptosis-inducing activity against cancer cells.

• Authors: Keishi Hata, Shoujiro Ogawa, Mitsuko Makino, Toshiyuki Mukaiyama, Kazuyuki Hori, Takashi Iida, Yasuo Fujimoto
• Journal: Journal of natural medicines (J Nat Med) Vol. 62 Issue 3 Pg. 332-5 (Jul 2008) ISSN: 1861-0293 [Electronic] Japan
• PMID: 18404303 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Melanins
• Plant Extracts
• Triterpenes

Topics

• Animals
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Cell Differentiation (drug effects)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Proliferation (drug effects)
• Humans
• Melanins (biosynthesis)
• Melanoma (drug therapy, pathology)
• Mice
• Plant Extracts (chemical synthesis, chemistry, pharmacology)
• Structure-Activity Relationship
• Triterpenes (chemical synthesis, chemistry, pharmacology)