SAFROLE OXIDE INDUCES APOPTOSIS IN A549 HUMAN LUNG CANCER CELLS

Abstract

3,4-(Methylenedioxy)-1-(2′,3′-epoxypropyl)-benzene (safrole oxide) was synthesized in the authors' laboratory. To investigate the effects of safrole oxide on the growth and apoptosis of A549 human lung cancer cells, the authors treated the cells with safrole oxide, 112.36 to 449.44 μmol/L, for 24 to 48 hours. The results showed that the drug led A549 cells to apoptosis and blocked cell cycle completely at G₁ phase and partly at G₂-M phase. To further study the correlated mechanism, the authors examined P53 and H-Ras protein expressions by using immunofluorescence assay. They found that the expression of P53 was dramatically up-regulated but the expression of H-Ras was hardly affected by safrole oxide, 224.72 μmol/L, within 24 hours. Taken together, these results revealed that safrole oxide could induce apoptosis of A549 cells and suggested that safrole oxide might perform its function by blocking cells completely at G₁ phase and partly at G₂-M phase, and also by up-regulating the expression of P53 protein. These findings would raise exciting possibilities for cancer therapy in future.

Keywords:

• A549 cells
• apoptosis
• cell cycle distribution
• P53 expression
• safrole oxide