Anticancer activity of sugiol against ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3 involves mitochondrial apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and blocking of the RAF/MEK/ERK signalling pathway

Abstract

A b s t r a c tIntroduction: Ovarian cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in women. Treatments for ovarian cancer include surgery followed by chemotherapy. However, the survival rate for ovarian cancer is still not satisfactory. Moreover, the current chemotherapy has numerous associated side effects. Therefore there is an urgent need to look for novel and more viable treatment options. Against this backdrop the present study was designed to evaluate the anticancer activity of sugiol against ovarian cancer cells. Material and methods: Cell viability was assessed by CCK8 assay, apoptosis by DAPI, AO/ER and annexin V/PI staining. Mitochondrial membrane potential and cell cycle analysis was performed by flow cytometry. Cell migration was investigated by wound healing assay. Protein expression was monitored by western blotting. Results: The results of the present study indicated that sugiol exerts significant (p < 0.0001) anticancer effects on SKOV3 cancer cells with an IC 50 of 25 μM. However, sugiol exhibited less cytotoxicity against normal ovarian cells with an IC 50 of 62.5 μM. The anticancer effects of sugiol were found to be due to G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and mitochondrial apoptosis. Sugiol also inhibited cell migration of SKOV3 cells dose dependently. Moreover, the results showed that sugiol could inhibit the RAF/MEK/ERK signalling pathway in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions:The results of the present study indicate that sugiol exerts potent anticancer effects on SKOV3 cells via induction of cell cycle arrest, mitochondrial apoptosis and inhibition of the RAF/MEK/ERK signalling pathway.

Sugiol Suppresses the Proliferation of Human U87 Glioma Cells via Induction of Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Arrest

“…Although gliomas are comparatively rare, its malignant forms, like glioblastoma, are highly lethal and in advanced stages, and the survival period is less than one and a half years [ 13 ]. The prognosis of malignant gliomas is very difficult adding to the disease aggressiveness [ 14 ].…”

“…The finding is highly encouraging for the possible utility of sugiol in glioma chemotherapy. The selective growth inhibitory action of sugiol is also known for other cancer cell types including ovarian and prostate cancer cells [ 12 , 13 ]. Sugiol has previously been reported to exhibit proapoptotic effects [ 17 ].…”

Synthesis, DFT Molecular Geometry and Anticancer Activity of Symmetrical 2,2′-(2-Oxo-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-1,3(2H)-diyl) Diacetate and Its Arylideneacetohydrazide Derivatives

“…DAPI is a fluorescent dye that stains DNA and can thus be used to detect nuclear damage, which is one of the hallmarks of apoptotic cells [ 71 , 72 , 73 ]. Treatment with samples 6a , 6b and 6c caused an increase in nuclear condensation, shrinkage of nuclei and loss of shape of the nuclei compared to the control ( Figure 10 A–D), which suggests an increase in programmed cell death (i.e., apoptosis).…”

Cytotoxic and Antimigration Activity of Etlingera alba (A.D.) Poulsen Rhizome

“…Sometimes they even synergize with each other to provide this activity. Several compounds in fraction B, such as rengyolone [ 22 ], licochalcone A [ 23 ], sugiol [ 24 , 25 ], and spinasterol [ 26 ], have been known to have activity against cancer cells. For fraction E, thymine [ 27 ], aschantin [ 28 ], lirioresinol B dimethyl ether [ 29 ], and others have potency as anticancer, as well.…”