Gambogic acid inhibits growth, induces apoptosis, and overcomes drug resistance in human colorectal cancer cells.

Abstract

The emergence of chemoresistance is a major limitation of colorectal cancer (CRC) therapies and novel biologically based therapies are urgently needed. Natural products represent a novel potential anticancer therapy. Gambogic acid (GA), a small molecule derived from Garcinia hanburyi Hook. f., has been demonstrated to be highly cytotoxic to several types of cancer cells and have low toxicity to the hematopoietic system. However, the potential role of GA in colorectal cancer and its ability to overcome the chemotherapeutic resistance in CRC cells have not been well studied. In the present study, we showed that GA directly inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in both 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) sensitive and 5-FU resistant colorectal cancer cells; induced apoptosis via activating JNK signaling pathway. The data, therefore, suggested an alternative strategy to overcome 5-FU resistance in CRC and that GA could be a promising medicinal compound for colorectal cancer therapy.

• Authors: Chuangyu Wen, Lanlan Huang, Junxiong Chen, Mengmeng Lin, Wen Li, Biyan Lu, Zina Jeyapalan Rutnam, Aikichi Iwamoto, Zhongyang Wang, Xiangling Yang, Huanliang Liu
• Journal: International journal of oncology (Int J Oncol) Vol. 47 Issue 5 Pg. 1663-71 (Nov 2015) ISSN: 1791-2423 [Electronic] Greece
• PMID: 26397804 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Xanthones
• gambogic acid
• Fluorouracil

Topics

• Animals
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Proliferation (drug effects)
• Colorectal Neoplasms (drug therapy, pathology)
• Drug Resistance, Neoplasm (genetics)
• Fluorouracil (administration & dosage)
• Humans
• Mice
• Xanthones (administration & dosage)
• Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays