Oleanolic acid mediated the proliferation and invasion of U251 glioma cells and promoted their apoptosis through the IKK-β, MAPK3, and MAPK4 signaling pathway

Abstract

ObjectTo investigate the effects of Oleanolic acid (OA) on proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of human glioma cell U251, as well as IKK-β and MAPK signaling pathways.MethodsThe binding of OA to IKK-β and MAPK signaling pathway essential proteins IKK-β, MAPK3, and MAPK4 was analyzed by molecular docking technique. U251 cells were treated with different concentrations of OA. The proliferation and apoptosis rates of U251 cells were detected by CCK-8 assay, MTT assay, cell cloning assay, and AnnexinⅤ FITC/PI double staining assay. Transwell chamber assay was used to detect migration and invasion of U251 cells. Finally, Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression levels of IKK-β, MAPK3, and MAPK4 in U251 cells treated with OA.ResultsThe results of molecular docking showed that OA could stably bind to IKK-β, MAPK3, and MAPK4 proteins. OA could not only effectively inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis of U251 cells (P < 0.05), but also significantly inhibit the invasion of U251 cells (P < 0.05). Western blot assay confirmed that OA could dramatically inhibit the protein expression levels of IKK-β, MAPK3, and MAPK4 in U251 cells (P < 0.05).ConclusionsOA may inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of glioma U251 cells by binding key molecules of the IKK-β signaling pathway and essential target proteins of MAPK3 and MAPK4 in the MAPK signaling pathway.