Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 9, 2026

Cell-Based Drug Screening for Inhibitors of Autophagy Related 4B Cysteine Peptidase
09:51

Cell-Based Drug Screening for Inhibitors of Autophagy Related 4B Cysteine Peptidase

Published on: June 30, 2023

[Role of autophagy on cobrotoxin induced cell death of A549]

Jian Shen1, Jingkang He, Xing Tang

  • 1The First Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, Suzhou 215000, China.

Zhongguo Fei AI Za Zhi = Chinese Journal of Lung Cancer
|July 23, 2013
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Cobrotoxin effectively inhibits lung cancer cell growth by activating the P38-MAPK pathway and promoting autophagy. This study reveals cobrotoxin

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Cobrotoxin exhibits anti-tumor properties, but its specific role in lung cancer remains under-investigated.
  • Lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549 is a relevant model for studying anti-cancer agents.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the anti-tumor effects of cobrotoxin on A549 lung cancer cells.
  • To elucidate the underlying mechanisms involving autophagy and the P38-MAPK pathway.

Main Methods:

  • Cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay.
  • Colony formation assays evaluated the long-term effects of cobrotoxin.
  • Western blotting was employed to analyze protein expression levels of key autophagy and signaling pathway markers.

Main Results:

  • Cobrotoxin significantly inhibited A549 cell proliferation and colony formation in a dose-dependent manner.
  • Cobrotoxin treatment led to increased expression of beclin-1, pP38, and the LC3 II/LC3 I ratio, indicating autophagy activation.
  • Inhibition of autophagy or the P38-MAPK pathway attenuated the anti-tumor effects of cobrotoxin.

Conclusions:

  • Cobrotoxin demonstrates significant in vitro anti-tumor activity against A549 lung cancer cells.
  • The anti-tumor mechanism involves the activation of the P38-MAPK pathway, which subsequently upregulates autophagy.

More Related Videos

Quantitative Analysis of Autophagy using Advanced 3D Fluorescence Microscopy09:59

Quantitative Analysis of Autophagy using Advanced 3D Fluorescence Microscopy

Published on: May 3, 2013

Assessing Autophagic Flux by Measuring LC3, p62, and LAMP1 Co-localization Using Multispectral Imaging Flow Cytometry11:39

Assessing Autophagic Flux by Measuring LC3, p62, and LAMP1 Co-localization Using Multispectral Imaging Flow Cytometry

Published on: July 21, 2017

Related Concept Videos

Autophagic Cell Death01:18

Autophagic Cell Death

Christian de Duve discovered “autophagy,” a process in which cellular components are engulfed by membrane-bound organelles called autophagosomes. The autophagosomes then fuse with lysosomes to digest the enclosed contents. Autophagy is generally activated in cells to prevent cell death. However, cell death is triggered when the damage is beyond repair.
Autophagy and Apoptosis
Autophagy can activate apoptosis. In normal conditions, the autophagy activating protein Beclin-1 and pro-apoptotic...
Autophagy01:27

Autophagy

Autophagy is a self-digesting process by which a cell protects itself from threats both within and outside the cell, ranging from abnormal proteins to invading bacteria. In this process, obsolete components of the cell and invading microbes are degraded by hydrolytic enzymes active in an acidic environment of the lysosomal lumen.
An autophagic pathway consists of a series of signaling events activated in response to diverse stress and physiological conditions such as food deprivation,...
Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy01:22

Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy

Cells respond to damage and stress through highly coordinated processes that decide whether they survive or undergo controlled self-destruction. Two major pathways involved in this regulation are apoptosis, a type of programmed cell death, and autophagy, a survival mechanism that helps cells adapt to adverse conditions.ApoptosisApoptosis removes aged or injured cells to maintain tissue balance. During this process, the cell shrinks, chromatin condenses and fragments, and membrane-bound...
Overview of Cell Death01:30

Overview of Cell Death

Cell death is an essential process where the body gets rid of old or damaged cells. Cell proliferation and death need to be balanced, as an imbalance between the two may lead to cancer or autoimmune diseases.
Cell death was observed in the early 19th century, but there was no experimental evidence to prove it. In 1842, Carl Vogt first discovered cell death in a metamorphic toad; however, it was not termed ‘cell death.’ Scientists discovered different cell death pathways only in the 20th century...
Delivery Pathways to the Lysosome01:36

Delivery Pathways to the Lysosome

Eukaryotic cells use different mechanisms to eliminate toxic waste obsolete and worn-out substances. Lysosomes play a pivotal role in this, and hence, these substances are carried to the lysosome from other parts of the cell and extracellular space through different pathways. The most elaborately studied pathways to the lysosome are the endocytic pathways.
Endocytosis
In endocytosis, the cell membrane takes up macromolecules and particles from the surrounding medium. Clathrin-mediated...
Phagocytosis of Apoptotic Cells01:17

Phagocytosis of Apoptotic Cells

Cells undergoing apoptosis form apoptotic bodies that must be removed immediately to prevent inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and necrosis. Phagocytosis is carried out by professional phagocytes such as macrophages or  immature dendritic cells. Non-professional phagocytes such as  epithelial cells and fibroblasts also take part in this process; however, they are not as effective as professional phagocytes. 
Normal cells contain receptors that prevent them from being recognized by phagocytes.