PMID: 32521863Jun 12, 2020Paper

Anticancer activity of ursolic acid on human ovarian cancer cells via ROS and MMP mediated apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and downregulation of PI3K/AKT pathway

Journal of B.U.ON. : Official Journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology
Wumei Lin, Haiyan Ye

Abstract

Ovarian cancer (OC) is perhaps the most difficult problem in gynaecologic oncology; in particular the drug-resistant ovarian cancer remains a challenge for the clinicians. Therefore there is a pressing need for novel and effective chemotherapeutic agents against OC. The main objective of the current research work was to study the anticancer effects of a naturally occurring triterpene acid, ursolic acid, against SKOV-3 OC cells. Its effects on reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated apoptosis were also studied along with cell cycle phase distribution and PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. Cell proliferation was checked by CCK8 cell viability assay. Apoptosis-related studies were examined by fluorescent microscopy using acridine orange (AO)/ethidium bromide (EB) and DAPI staining as well as flow cytometry using annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) assay. Further, western blot assay was used to study effects of ursolic acid on the apoptosis-related protein expressions including Bax, Bcl-2 as well as PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. Effects on cell cycle were examined by flow cytometry while effects on ROS production were evaluated by fluorescent microscopy. Ursolic acid caused significant reduction in the viability of the SKOV-3 ovarian carcinoma...Continue Reading

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