1. Academic Validation
  2. Glaucocalyxin A induces apoptosis and autophagy in tongue squamous cell carcinoma cells by regulating ROS

Glaucocalyxin A induces apoptosis and autophagy in tongue squamous cell carcinoma cells by regulating ROS

  • Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2021 Aug;88(2):235-246. doi: 10.1007/s00280-021-04285-3.
Fanzhe Shi  # 1 Danfeng Xue  # 1 Qingkun Jiang 1 Jiaxuan Qiu 2
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwaizheng St., Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.
  • 2 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwaizheng St., Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China. qiujiaxuan@163.com.
  • # Contributed equally.
Abstract

Purpose: Tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) is the most common highly invasive oral Cancer. Glaucocalyxin A (GLA) is a diterpenoid component isolated from Rabdosia japonica var. with anti-bacterial and anti-cancer biological properties. However, the role of GLA in human TSCC remains uncertain. The aim of this paper was to investigate the anti-cancer effect of GLA on TSCC cells as well as its underlying mechanism.

Methods: Cell viability and growth were analyzed by CCK-8 assay and colony formation, respectively. DAPI staining and flow cytometry assay were used to detect the cell Apoptosis. Lysotracker Red staining was used to observe the lysosomes and autolysosomes of TSCC cells. ROS fluorescent probe was used to test the intracellular ROS levels. Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of apoptosis- and autophagy-related proteins.

Results: GLA inhibits the cell viability and growth in TSCC cells. GLA induces TSCC cells Apoptosis, Autophagy and ROS production in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. In addition, GLA inhibits the viability of TSCC cells by inducing intracellular ROS production. Finally, GLA triggers ROS-dependent Apoptosis and Autophagy in TSCC cells.

Conclusion: Our results consistently suggested that GLA can induce Apoptosis and Autophagy in TSCC cells by generating ROS. GLA may serve as a promising therapeutic drug for overcoming TSCC.

Keywords

Apoptosis; Autophagy; Glaucocalyxin A; Reactive oxygen species; Tongue squamous cell carcinoma.

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