Effects of Ursolic Acid on the Proliferation and Apoptosis of Human Ovarian Cancer Cells
10.1007/s11596-009-0618-y
- Author:
WANG XIANGHONG
1
;
LI LILING
;
WANG BO
;
XIANG JINYI
Author Information
1. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics,Xinhua Hospital of Hubei Province,Wuhan 430015,China
- Keywords:
ursolic acid;
ovarian cancer;
proliferation;
apoptosis
- From:
Journal of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (Medical Sciences)
2009;29(6):761-764
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
This study examined the effects of ursolic acid (UA) on the proliferation and apoptosis of a human ovarian cancer cell line,CAOV3. The CAOV3 cells were cultured in the RPMI 1640 media and treated with different concentrations of UA (0,10,20,40 μmol/L). The proliferation rate of the CAOV3 cells was determined by MTT assay. The apoptosis rate was measured by flow cytometry.ERK activity was detected by immunoprecipitation and the expressions of p-ERK1/2,MKP-1,Bax and Bcl-2 by Western blotting. The results showed that the proliferation rate was significantly decreased in the cells treated with UA as compared with that in the non-treated cells (P＜0.05). The intracellular ERK activity and p-ERK1/2 expression were also reduced in the UA-treated cells,while the MKP-1 expression was elevated. Moreover,the apoptosis was found in the CAOV3 cells exposed to UA;the Bax expression was increased and the Bcl-2 expression decreased. The apoptosis rate in the UA-treated ceils was much higher than that in the non-treated cells (P＜0.05). It is concluded that UA can inhibit the proliferation of CAOV3 cells by suppressing the ERK activity and the expression of p-ERK1/2. And it can also induce the apoptosis of the CAOV3 cells by up-regulating the Bax expression and down-regulating the Bcl-2 expression.
