Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 10, 2026

Enhancement of Apoptotic and Autophagic Induction by a Novel Synthetic C-1 Analogue of 7-deoxypancratistatin in Human Breast Adenocarcinoma and Neuroblastoma Cells with Tamoxifen
19:44

Enhancement of Apoptotic and Autophagic Induction by a Novel Synthetic C-1 Analogue of 7-deoxypancratistatin in Human Breast Adenocarcinoma and Neuroblastoma Cells with Tamoxifen

Published on: May 30, 2012

Goniothalamin selectively induces apoptosis on human hepatoblastoma cells through caspase-3 activation

Mothanna Al-Qubaisi1, Rozita Rosli, Tamilselvan Subramani

  • 1a Department of Cell and Molecular Biology , Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University Putra Malaysia (UPM) , 43400 Serdang, Selangor , Malaysia.

Natural Product Research
|June 18, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Goniothalamin induces apoptosis in liver cancer cells (HepG2) by activating caspase-3. This natural compound shows less sensitivity towards normal liver cells (Chang cells), suggesting potential therapeutic applications.

Area of Science:

  • Natural Product Chemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Goniothalamin is a styrylpyrone derivative from Goniothalamus species.
  • It exhibits biological activity, prompting investigation into its anti-cancer mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate goniothalamin's ability to induce apoptosis in hepatoblastoma (HepG2) and normal liver (Chang) cells.
  • To determine the role of caspase-3 activation in goniothalamin-induced cell death.

Main Methods:

  • Cells (HepG2 and Chang) were treated with goniothalamin for 72 hours.
  • Apoptosis was assessed using TUNEL and Annexin-V/PI staining.
  • Caspase-3 activity was quantified via ELISA.

Main Results:

  • Goniothalamin induced apoptosis in treated cells, evidenced by altered membrane integrity and DNA cleavage.
  • Significant elevation of caspase-3 activity was observed in HepG2 cells post-treatment.
  • Chang cells exhibited less sensitivity to goniothalamin-induced apoptosis.

Conclusions:

  • Goniothalamin effectively induces apoptosis in HepG2 liver cancer cells.
  • Caspase-3 activation is a key mechanism in goniothalamin's cytotoxic effect on liver cancer cells.
  • The compound demonstrates a differential sensitivity, being less potent against normal liver cells.

More Related Videos

Analysis of Apoptosis in Zebrafish Embryos by Whole-mount Immunofluorescence to Detect Activated Caspase 308:20

Analysis of Apoptosis in Zebrafish Embryos by Whole-mount Immunofluorescence to Detect Activated Caspase 3

Published on: December 20, 2013

Related Concept Videos

Caspases01:24

Caspases

Caspase, a family of cysteine proteases, serve as effectors in apoptosis. The ced3 gene in C.elegans was first identified to be involved in apoptosis. This gene encodes the ced-3 caspase that is similar to the interleukin-1-beta converting enzyme or ICE in mammals. In addition to apoptosis, caspases also function in the inflammatory response. Inflammatory caspases are essential in activating pro-inflammatory cytokines that recruit immune cells and block the replication of pathogens inside cells.
Apoptosis01:30

Apoptosis

Apoptosis is a combination of two Greek words, 'apo' and 'ptosis,' meaning separation and falling off, respectively. Hippocrates used this word to describe gangrene, which was caused due to bandaging of fractured bones. Apoptosis was distinguished from necrosis in 1970 when John Kerr reported observations of morphological changes occurring during apoptosis. During one experiment, he observed that the disruption of blood supply to the liver tissue resulted in a size reduction of the tissue.
The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:17

The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

The extrinsic apoptotic pathway is initiated when extracellular death-inducing signals, such as specific cytokines, activate the death receptors expressed on the cell surface. The immune cells involved in this pathway are natural killer cells (NK cells) and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes. NK cells are critical in innate immune response, while cytotoxic T-lymphocytes are associated with adaptive immune response. These cells recognize specific receptors expressed on the altered cells and activate...
The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:31

The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

Internal cellular stress, such as cellular injury or hypoxia, triggers intrinsic apoptosis. The B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins are the primary regulators of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. For example, during DNA damage, checkpoint proteins, such as Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM protein) and Checkpoints Factor-2 (Chk2) proteins, are activated. These proteins phosphorylate p53 which further activates pro-apoptotic proteins, such as Bax, Bak, PUMA, and Noxa, and inhibits...