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Protein array technology not only identifies a large number of proteins but also determines their expression levels. In the present study, antibody array analysis is used to decipher the proteins involved in hesperidin‑induced cell death in HepG2 cells. Altered proteins in hesperidin treated cells were compared with that of untreated control cells by using a RayBio® Label‑based (L series) human antibody array kit. The identified proteins were further confirmed using western blot analysis. STRING software based analysis was used to determine the protein‑protein interactions. Many proteins related to signal transduction, cellular mechanisms, cell growth and proliferation regulatory proteins were identified. Among the proteins identified Hsp90, Smac/DIABLO, Prdx6 and FRK were significantly reduced in hesperidin treated cells. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the present study is the first to use antibody array for identifying proteins marker in hesperidin‑induced cell death in HepG2 cells. The present study provides a novel insight into the anticancer mechanism of hesperidin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Korean Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi has been widely used in Korean folk medicines for its range of medicinal benefits, including its anticancer effect. The aim of the present study was to investigate the underlying molecular mechanism of action of a flavonoid extract from Korean Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (FSB) on AGS human gastric cancer cells (gastric adenocarcinoma) in which FSB exhibits an anticancer effect. Treatment of AGS cells with FSB significantly inhibited cell viability in a concentration‑dependent manner. Furthermore, FSB significantly increased the proportion of cells in sub‑G1 phase, and Annexin V and Hoechst 33258 fluorescent staining confirmed the apoptotic cell death. Furthermore, western blotting results identified that treatment of AGS cells with FSB significantly downregulated the expression of caspase family members, namely procaspases 3 and 9, and poly(ADP‑ribose) polymerase (PARP), and subsequently upregulated cleaved caspase 3 and cleaved PARP. It was observed that FSB treatment significantly decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential of AGS cells. In addition, the ratio of the mitochondrion‑associated proteins B cell lymphoma 2‑associated X protein and B cell lymphoma extra large was upregulated. The results of the present study provide novel insight into the underlying molecular mechanism of the anticancer effects of FSB on AGS human gastric cancer cells and indicate that FSB may be an alternative chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lonicera japonica Thunb. (L. japonica T.) has historically been used in Korean herbal medicine due to its anticancer and protective effects on the respiratory system. In the present study, the polyphenolic compounds in L. japonica T. were investigated using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, and its anticancer effects on A549 non-small-cell lung cancer cells were studied. Polyphenolic compounds potentially inhibit A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometry and western blot analysis demonstrated that polyphenolic compounds induce apoptosis by regulating the protein expression levels of caspases, poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase and the B-cell lymphoma-2-associated X-protein/B-cell lymphoma-extra large ratio. Furthermore, polyphenolic compounds inhibited mitochondrial membrane potential activity. Caspase-3 activity was increased in a dose-dependent manner and polyphenolic compounds inhibited the activation of protein kinase B by dephosphorylation. These results suggest that polyphenolic compounds in A549 cells indicate the anticancer activity through the induction of apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citrus platymamma Hort. ex Tanaka (Byungkyul in Korean) has been used in Korean folk medicine for the treatment of inflammatory disorders and cancer. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the anticancer properties of flavonoids isolated from C. platymamma (FCP) remains to be elucidated. Therefore, the present study attempted to identify the key proteins, which may be important in the anticancer effects of FCP on A549 cells using a proteomic approach. FCP showed a potent cytotoxic effect on the A549 human lung cancer cells, however, it had no effect on WI-38 human fetal lung fibroblasts at the same concentrations. Furthermore, 15 differentially expressed protein spots (spot intensities ≥2-fold change; P<0.05) were obtained from comparative proteome analysis of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis maps of the control (untreated) and FCP-treated A549 cells. Finally, eight differentially expressed proteins, one of which was upregulated and seven of which were downregulated, were successfully identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight/time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry and peptide mass fingerprinting analysis. Specifically, proteins involved in signal transduction were significantly downregulated, including annexin A1 (ANXA1) and ANXA4, whereas 14-3-3ε was upregulated. Cytoskeletal proteins, including cofilin-1 (CFL1), cytokeratin 8 (KRT8) and KRT79, and molecular chaperones/heat shock proteins, including endoplasmin, were downregulated. Proteins involved in protein metabolism, namely elongation factor Ts were also downregulated. Consistent with results of the proteome analysis, the immunoblotting results showed that 14-3-3ε was upregulated, whereas CFL1, ANXA4 and KRT8 were downregulated in the FCP-treated A549 cells. The majority of the proteins were involved in tumor growth, cell cycle, apoptosis, migration and signal transduction. These findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying FCP-induced anticancer effects on A549 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citrus platymamma hort. ex Tanaka belongs to the Rutaceae family and is widely used in folk medicines in Korea due to its anti-proliferative, anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic activities. However, the molecular mechanism of its anti-cancer effect is not well understood. The present study was conducted to elucidate the anti-cancer effect and molecular mechanism of flavonoids from Citrus platymamma (FCP) on A549 cells. FCP displayed concentration-dependent inhibition on A549 cells proliferation. Further, flow cytometry revealed that FCP significantly increased the sub-G1 (apoptotic cell population) and G2/M phase population, and the total number of apoptotic cells, in a dose-dependent manner. Nuclear condensation and fragmentation were also observed upon staining with Hoechst 33342 in FCP-treated A549 cells. Immunoblotting demonstrated a dose-dependent downregulation of cyclin B1, cyclin-dependent kinase 1, cell division cycle 25c, pro-caspases -3, -6, -8 and -9, and poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in FCP-treated A549 cells. In addition, FCP induced caspase-3 activation and subsequent PARP cleavage, and increased the B-cell lymphoma (Bcl)-2-associated X protein/Bcl-extra large ratio in A549 cells. These findings suggest that FCP induced G2/M arrest and apoptosis of A549 cells. The present study provides evidence that FCP may be useful in the treatment of human lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]