The use of dietary bioactive compounds in
chemoprevention can potentially reverse, suppress, or even prevent
cancer progression. However, the effects of
licochalcone A (LicA) on apoptosis and autophagy in
cervical cancer cells have not yet been clearly elucidated. In this study, LicA treatment was found to significantly induce the apoptotic and autophagic capacities of
cervical cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. MTT assay results showed dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicity in four
cervical cancer cell lines treated with LicA. We found that LicA induced mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in SiHa cells, with decreasing Bcl-2 expression. LicA also induced autophagy effects were examined by identifying accumulation of Atg5, Atg7, Atg12 and
microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3)-II. Treatment with autophagy-specific inhibitors (3-methyladenine and
bafilomycin A1) enhanced LicA-induced apoptosis. In addition, we suggested the inhibition of
phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mammalian target of mTOR pathway by LicA. Furthermore, the inhibition of PI3K/Akt by
LY294002/si-Akt or of mTOR by
rapamycin augmented LicA-induced apoptosis and autophagy. Finally, the in vivo mice bearing a SiHa xenograft, LicA dosed
at 10 or 20 mg/kg significantly inhibited
tumor growth. Our findings demonstrate the chemotherapeutic potential of LicA for treatment of human
cervical cancer.