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Updated: Dec 3, 2025
An Orthotopic Bladder Cancer Model for Gene Delivery Studies
Published on: December 1, 2013
Aloperine Exerts Antitumor Effects on Bladder Cancer in vitro
Lijun Zhang1, Jun Liang1, Xiaohua Liu1
1Department of Urology, Minda Hospital Affiliated to Hubei Minzu University, Enshi, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China.
Background:
Human bladder cancer is the most common malignant tumor of the urinary system and one of the 10 most common tumors of the whole body. Although most patients with bladder cancer exhibit a good prognosis with standard treatment, effective therapies for patients with a recurrent or advanced bladder cancer are unavailable. Therefore, highly effective drugs to treat such patients need to be developed. Aloperine (ALO), a natural compound isolated from Sophora alopecuroides, has antitumor properties. However, the role of ALO in human bladder cancer remains unclear.
Methods:
In the present study, MTT was used to detect the cytotoxic effect of ALO on human BC cell line EJ and human urothelium cell line SV-HUC-1cells. Meanwhile, in order to investigate the effects of ALO on the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of BC EJ cells and its mechanism by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, immunofluorescence, Hoechst 33342 staining, wound scratch assay, transwell migration and invasion assay, Western blot analysis.
Results:
ALO can inhibit the proliferation and invasion of human bladder cancer EJ cells, and is low-toxic to human urothelium cells. Moreover, it can promote cellular apoptosis in vitro. Further analysis demonstrated the involvement of Caspase-dependent apoptosis following ALO treatment. ALO also downregulated the protein expression levels of Ras, p-Raf1 and p-Erk1/2.
Conclusion:
ALO is a potential drug for human bladder cancer therapy.
Insights
Aloperine (ALO) inhibits human bladder cancer cell proliferation and invasion while promoting apoptosis. This natural compound shows low toxicity to normal urothelial cells, indicating its potential as a bladder cancer therapeutic agent.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Natural Product Chemistry
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Human bladder cancer is a prevalent malignancy with limited effective therapies for advanced or recurrent cases.
- Aloperine (ALO), a natural compound from Sophora alopecuroides, possesses known antitumor properties, but its specific role in bladder cancer was unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy and underlying mechanisms of Aloperine (ALO) in treating human bladder cancer.
- To evaluate the cytotoxic effects of ALO on human bladder cancer cell lines and normal urothelial cells.
Main Methods:
- Cytotoxicity was assessed using MTT assays on EJ (bladder cancer) and SV-HUC-1 (urothelial) cell lines.
- Proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were analyzed using CCK-8, Hoechst staining, wound scratch, and Transwell assays.
- Western blotting was employed to examine the expression of key proteins involved in cell signaling pathways.
Main Results:
- Aloperine demonstrated significant inhibition of human bladder cancer EJ cell proliferation and invasion.
- ALO treatment promoted apoptosis in cancer cells in vitro, mediated by Caspase activation.
- ALO downregulated the protein expression of Ras, p-Raf1, and p-Erk1/2, suggesting pathway modulation.
Conclusions:
- Aloperine exhibits promising therapeutic potential for human bladder cancer.
- ALO shows selective toxicity towards cancer cells with low impact on normal urothelial cells.
