Stephania delavayi Diels. inhibits breast carcinoma proliferation through the p38 MAPK/NF-κB/COX-2 pathway

• Published in: Oncology reports Vol. 26; no. 4; pp. 833 - 841
• Main Authors: PARK, Dae-Hun, HONG DE XU, SHIM, Jaegal, LI, Yong-Chun, LEE, Jong-Hwa, CHO, Soon-Chang, HAN, Sang-Seop, YUN LYUL LEE, LEE, Min-Jae, KWON, Sung-Won
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Athens Spandidos 01.10.2011
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy; Breast Neoplasms - metabolism; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Cell Growth Processes - drug effects; Cell Line, Tumor; Cyclooxygenase 2 - biosynthesis; Cyclooxygenase 2 - metabolism; Female; Ferns - chemistry; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Mammary gland diseases; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Nude; NF-kappa B - metabolism; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - metabolism; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - pharmacology; Phosphorylation; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Signal Transduction - drug effects; Tumors; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays; Cell proliferation; Breast disease; nuclear factor κB; COX-2; Enzyme; Cyclooxygenase 2; Breast cancer; Malignant tumor; breast carcinomas; Mammary gland diseases; Breast carcinoma; Cancerology; Cell death; Stephania delavayi Diels; p38 Mitogen activated protein kinase; Inhibitor; Oxidoreductases; Transcription factor NFκB; Cancer; Apoptosis
• ISSN: 1021-335X; 1791-2431
• DOI: 10.3892/or.2011.1364

The nuclear factor κB (NF-κB)/inhibitor of κ kinase-β (IKKβ) signaling pathway is important in tumor promotion and progression. MDA-MB-231 human breast carcinoma cells express COX-2 and show a constitutive phosphorylation of NF-κB. Many non-specific inhibitors of IKKβ and NF-κB are used to inhibit tumor promotion and progression. The Stephania delavayi Diels. (S. delavayi Diels.) extract has been reported to safely activate B cell immunity and there is evidence suggesting that it may be a promising new anticancer therapeutic agent. S. delavayi Diels. extract suppressed proliferation of the breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 by inducing cell death. To aid in the development of the S. delavayi Diels. extract as a therapeutic agent, its mechanisms of action were investigated, in particular its effects on p38 MAPK, NF-κB and COX-2, which play important roles in inflammation and cancer. S. delavayi Diels. stimulated p38 MAPK phosphorylation but reduced NF-κB phosphorylation and COX-2 expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Thus, S. delavayi Diels., which appears to act primarily through p38 MAPK/NF-κB/COX-2 signaling in breast carcinomas, may be a potent anticancer agent with target specificity and low toxicity.