Julibroside J8-induced HeLa cell apoptosis through caspase pathway

Area of Science:

• Natural Product Chemistry
• Pharmacology
• Cancer Biology

Background:

• Albizia julibrissin is a plant used in traditional medicine.
• Natural compounds are a source of novel anticancer agents.
• Understanding the mechanisms of action of plant-derived compounds is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and characterize julibroside J8 from Albizia julibrissin.
• To evaluate the in vitro antiproliferative effects of julibroside J8 on various cancer cell lines.
• To elucidate the mechanism of action of julibroside J8-induced cell death in HeLa cells.

Main Methods:

• Isolation and purification of julibroside J8.
• In vitro antiproliferative assays on six human cancer cell lines.
• Morphological analysis of apoptosis.
• Giemsa staining for nuclear damage.
• DNA fragmentation assays.
• Caspase-3 activity assays.
• Western blot analysis for ICAD, Bax, and Bcl-2 expression.

Main Results:

• Julibroside J8 significantly inhibited the growth of BGC-823, Bel-7402, and HeLa cancer cell lines at 100 microg/mL.
• Apoptotic morphological changes, nuclear damage, and DNA fragmentation were observed in HeLa cells treated with julibroside J8.
• Julibroside J8-induced DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activation were blocked by a caspase-3 inhibitor (z-DEVD-fmk).
• Apoptosis was associated with increased Bax and decreased Bcl-2 expression in mitochondria.

Conclusions:

• Julibroside J8 exhibits significant in vitro antiproliferative activity against selected cancer cell lines.
• Julibroside J8 induces apoptosis in HeLa cells through a caspase-dependent pathway.
• The findings suggest julibroside J8 is a potential candidate for further anticancer drug development.