Manoalide provides preferential antiproliferation of
oral cancer but is non-cytotoxic to normal cells by modulating
reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis. Although ROS interplays with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and apoptosis, the influence of ER stress on
manoalide-triggered apoptosis has not been reported. The role of ER stress in
manoalide-induced preferential antiproliferation and apoptosis was assessed in this study.
Manoalide induces a higher ER expansion and aggresome accumulation of
oral cancer than normal cells. Generally,
manoalide differentially influences higher
mRNA and
protein expressions of ER-stress-associated genes (PERK, IRE1α, ATF6, and BIP) in
oral cancer cells than in normal cells. Subsequently, the contribution of ER stress on
manoalide-treated
oral cancer cells was further examined. ER stress inducer,
thapsigargin, enhances the
manoalide-induced antiproliferation,
caspase 3/7 activation, and autophagy of
oral cancer cells rather than normal cells. Moreover,
N-acetylcysteine, an ROS inhibitor, reverses the responses of ER stress, aggresome formation, and the antiproliferation of
oral cancer cells. Consequently, the preferential ER stress of
manoalide-treated
oral cancer cells is crucial for its antiproliferative effect.