Methanolic Extract of Pien Tze Huang Induces Apoptosis Signaling in Human Osteosarcoma MG63 Cells via Multiple Pathways

Abstract

Pien Tze Huang (PZH) is a well-known traditional Chinese formulation and has long been used as an alternative remedy for cancers in China and Southeast Asia. Recently, antitumor activity of PZH on several tumors have been increasingly reported, but its antitumor activity and the possible action mechanism on osteosarcoma remains unclear. After treatment with PZH, cell viability of MG-63 cells was dose-dependently inhibited compared to control cells. Moreover, a DNA ladder characteristic of apoptosis was observed in the cells treated with PZH, especially 500 µg/mL, 750 µg/mL. Further investigation showed that PZH treatments led to activation of caspase cascades and changes of apoptotic mediators Bcl2, Bax, and Bcl-xL expression. In addition, our results suggested that PZH activated PI3K/Akt signal pathway, and the phosphorylation of Akt and ERK1/2 were associated with the induction of apoptotic signaling. These results revealed that PZH possesses antitumoral activity on human osteosarcoma MG63 cells by manipulating apoptotic signaling and multiple pathways. It is suggested that PZH alone or combined with regular antitumor drugs may be beneficial as osteosarcoma treatments.

Curcumin Analog DK1 Induces Apoptosis in Human Osteosarcoma Cells In Vitro through Mitochondria-Dependent Signaling Pathway

“…For example, Doxorubicin is a chemotherapy drug usually administered to OS patients. However, it poses major side effects including mucositis, myelosuppression, and systemic toxicity such as cardiotoxicity at high dosage of utilization [ 3 , 4 ]. With these inherent side effects, younger patients such as children diagnosed with OS are more susceptible to efficacy during treatment thus reducingtheir survival rate tremendously [ 5 ].…”

Pien Tze Huang induces apoptosis and inhibits proliferation of 5-fluorouracil-resistant colorectal carcinoma cells via increasing miR-22 expression

“…TCMs have received recent interest in this regard, as they have relatively few side effects and have been used for thousands of years as alternative remedies for a number of diseases, including cancer ( 7 , 8 ). The well-known TCM formula PZH has long been used in China to treat a number of cancers ( 45 , 51 , 52 ).…”

Two Trichothecene Mycotoxins from Myrothecium roridum Induce Apoptosis of HepG-2 Cells via Caspase Activation and Disruption of Mitochondrial Membrane Potential

“…Bax protein in mytoxin B- and epiroridin acid-treated HepG-2 cells with much higher expression level compared with control could insert into the mitochondrial outer membrane, thus altering mitochondrial membrane permeability, reducing the mitochondrial membrane potential, and finally enhancing the apoptosis rate significantly. The crude extract of Pien Tze Huang was also reported to induce the apoptosis of human osteosarcoma MG63 cells by the activation of caspase cascades and the alteration of apoptotic mediators bcl-2 and bax expression, further demonstrating the important roles of Bcl-2, Bax protein, and caspase cascades in the apoptosis of tumor cells [20].…”