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Myrtucommulone from Myrtus communis induces apoptosis in cancer cells via the mitochondrial pathway involving caspase-9.

Tretiakova, Irina, Blaesius, Dagmar, Maxia, Lucia, Wesselborg, Sebastian, Schulze-Osthoff, Klaus, Cinatl, Jindrich, Michaelis, Martin, Werz, Oliver (2008) Myrtucommulone from Myrtus communis induces apoptosis in cancer cells via the mitochondrial pathway involving caspase-9. Apoptosis, 13 (1). pp. 119-31. ISSN 1360-8185. (doi:10.1007/s10495-007-0150-0) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:34085)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10495-007-0150-0

Abstract

Myrtucommulone (MC) is a unique, nonprenylated acylphloroglucinol contained in the leaves of myrtle (Myrtus communis). Here, we addressed the potential of MC to induce apoptosis of cancer cells. MC potently induced cell death of different cancer cell lines (EC(50) 3-8 microM) with characteristics of apoptosis, visualized by the activation of caspase-3, -8 and -9, cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP), release of nucleosomes into the cytosol, and DNA fragmentation. MC was much less cytotoxic for non-transformed human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) or foreskin fibroblasts (EC(50) cell death = 20-50 microM), and MC up to 30 microM hardly caused processing of PARP, caspase-3, -8 and -9 in human PBMC. MC-induced apoptosis was mediated by the intrinsic rather than the extrinsic death pathway. Thus, MC caused loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential in MM6 cells and evoked release of cytochrome c from mitochondria. Interestingly, Jurkat cells deficient in caspase-9 were resistant to MC-induced cell death and no processing of PARP or caspase-8 was evident. In cell lines deficient in either CD95 (Fas, APO-1) signalling, FADD or caspase-8, MC was still able to potently induce cell death and PARP cleavage. Conclusively, MC induces apoptosis in cancer cell lines, with marginal cytotoxicity for non-transformed cells, via the mitochondrial cytochrome c/Apaf-1/caspase-9 pathway.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1007/s10495-007-0150-0
Subjects: R Medicine > RM Therapeutics. Pharmacology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Biosciences
Depositing User: Martin Michaelis
Date Deposited: 05 Jun 2013 21:15 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:11 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/34085 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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