Sage components enhance cell death through nuclear factor kappa-B signaling

• Published in: Frontiers in bioscience (Elite edition) Vol. 3; no. 2; p. 410
• Main Authors: Deeb, Sally Joseph, El-Baba, Chirine Omar, Hassan, Saadia Bashir, Larsson, Rolf Lennart, Gali-Muhtasib, Hala Uthman
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore 01.01.2011
• Subjects: Annexin A5 - metabolism; Apoptosis - drug effects; Blotting, Western; Cyclohexane Monoterpenes; Cyclohexenes - pharmacology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; Flow Cytometry; HCT116 Cells; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Monoterpenes - pharmacology; NF-kappa B - metabolism; Oligonucleotides - genetics; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Salvia officinalis - chemistry; Signal Transduction - drug effects; Signal Transduction - physiology
• ISSN: 1945-0508
• DOI: 10.2741/e256

The sage components linalyl acetate (Ly) and alpha-terpineol (Te) exhibit synergistic anti-proliferative effects. We investigated the effects of Ly and Te on NF-kappaB signaling in HCT-116 colon cancer cells. Ly and Te combinations dose-dependently reduced HCT-116 viability at non-cytotoxic concentrations. Combination treatment induced 30%-60% increase in PreG1 through induction of apoptosis and necrosis. DNA binding assays revealed that combination treatment suppressed both basal and TNF-alpha-induced NF-kappaB activation. This suppression correlated with the inhibition of p65 nuclear translocation and IkappaB-alpha degradation. The lack of change in IKK expression levels or inhibition in IkappaB-alpha phosphorylation suggest the involvement of an IKK-independent mechanism. Ly and Te combination was found to downregulate the expression of NF-kappaB-regulated antiapoptotic and proliferative gene products. Separate treatments and drug combinations significantly decreased DNA binding activity of NF-kappaB which led to the potentiation of cell death induced by the colon cancer drugs oxaliplatin and 5-FU. These results indicate that Ly and Te anticancer activities are partly mediated through the suppression of NF-kappaB activation, suggesting their use in combination with chemotherapeutic agents to induce apoptosis.