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Updated: Jun 5, 2026
10:23
Evaluation of Caspase Activation to Assess Innate Immune Cell Death
Published on: January 20, 2023
Sage components enhance cell death through nuclear factor kappa-B signaling
Sally Joseph Deeb1, Chirine Omar El-Baba, Saadia Bashir Hassan
1Department of Biology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Frontiers in Bioscience (Elite Edition)
|January 4, 2011
Summary
Sage compounds linalyl acetate (Ly) and alpha-terpineol (Te) synergistically inhibit colon cancer cell growth by suppressing NF-kappaB signaling. This combination enhances apoptosis and potentiates chemotherapy, offering new therapeutic strategies.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Molecular Biology
- Oncology
Background:
- Sage compounds linalyl acetate (Ly) and alpha-terpineol (Te) show synergistic anti-proliferative effects.
- The NF-kappaB signaling pathway is a key regulator of cell proliferation, apoptosis, and inflammation in cancer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of Ly and Te on NF-kappaB signaling in HCT-116 colon cancer cells.
- To explore the potential of Ly and Te as adjuncts to conventional chemotherapy.
Main Methods:
- Cell viability assays (MTT)
- Apoptosis and necrosis assays (PreG1)
- Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) for NF-kappaB DNA binding
- Western blotting for p65 and IkappaB-alpha
- Gene expression analysis of NF-kappaB-regulated genes
Main Results:
- Ly and Te combinations reduced HCT-116 cell viability and induced apoptosis/necrosis.
- Combination treatment suppressed basal and TNF-alpha-induced NF-kappaB activation, inhibiting p65 nuclear translocation and IkappaB-alpha degradation via an IKK-independent mechanism.
- Ly and Te downregulated NF-kappaB-regulated antiapoptotic and proliferative genes.
- Combination treatment potentiated cell death induced by oxaliplatin and 5-FU.
Conclusions:
- Ly and Te anticancer activities are partly mediated through NF-kappaB suppression.
- These sage components can enhance apoptosis and potentiate chemotherapy, suggesting their potential in combination cancer therapy.
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