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Published on: January 22, 2019

Terpinolene, a component of herbal sage, downregulates AKT1 expression in K562 cells

Naoko Okumura1, Hitomi Yoshida, Yuri Nishimura

  • 1Department of Environmental Health Science, Nara Women's University, Nara 630-8506, Japan.

Oncology Letters
|June 29, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Sage and rosemary extracts, containing terpinolene, reduce AKT1 protein expression and inhibit cancer cell proliferation. These findings suggest potential therapeutic applications for these natural compounds in cancer treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Protein kinase AKT is crucial for cell proliferation and survival, and its dysregulation is implicated in cancer progression.
  • Elevated AKT expression or activity is a common feature in various human cancers, driving tumor growth.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of sage and rosemary extracts on AKT1 expression and cancer cell proliferation.
  • To determine if terpinolene, a component of these herbs, influences AKT1 protein levels and cell growth.

Main Methods:

  • Treatment of K562 cells with sage and rosemary extracts.
  • Measurement of AKT1 mRNA and protein expression levels via quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting.
  • Assessment of cell proliferation inhibition.

Main Results:

  • Sage and rosemary extracts significantly reduced AKT1 mRNA and protein expression in K562 cells 48 hours post-treatment.
  • Terpinolene, a key component of sage and rosemary, markedly decreased AKT1 protein expression in K562 cells.
  • Terpinolene demonstrated significant inhibition of K562 cell proliferation.

Conclusions:

  • Sage and rosemary extracts, particularly their component terpinolene, exhibit anti-cancer properties by downregulating AKT1 signaling.
  • These natural compounds show promise as potential therapeutic agents for cancers associated with AKT pathway activation.

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