Anticancer activity of hispidin via reactive oxygen species-mediated apoptosis in colon cancer cells

Few studies have been performed on the anticancer activity of hispidin, a phenolic compound produced from the medicinal mushroom Phellinus linteus. Herein, we studied hispidin-induced apoptosis, which is associated with the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in colon cancer cells. Hispidin was found to reduce cell viability both in mouse and human colon cancer cells. Apoptotic cell morphological changes were observed by microscopy, and apoptosis was assessed in hispidin-treated cells using a biochemical method. The results showed accumulation of the sub-G1 cell population and increase in early apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, hispidin induced apoptosis through up-regulation of both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways. Although the molecular mechanism underlying hispidin-induced apoptosis is known to involve the generation of ROS, however hispidin did not show any apoptosis in the pre-treatment with a ROS scavenger, N-acetyl-L-cysteine. In conclusion, hispidin induces both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways mediated by ROS in colon cancer cells, thereby suggesting that hispidin could be a promising new anticancer agent.