Tetrandrine induces apoptosis and triggers a caspase cascade in U2-OS and MG-63 cells through the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways

• Published in: Molecular medicine reports Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 345 - 349
• Main Authors: TAO, LI-JIANG, ZHOU, XIN-DIE, SHEN, CHENG-CHUN, LIANG, CHENG-ZHEN, LIU, BING, TAO, YIQING, TAO, HUI-MIN
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Greece D.A. Spandidos 01.01.2014; Spandidos Publications; Spandidos Publications UK Ltd
• Subjects: Antimitotic agents; Antineoplastic agents; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - chemistry; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - pharmacology; Antitumor activity; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1 - metabolism; Bcl-2 protein; bcl-2-Associated X Protein - metabolism; Bcl-x protein; Benzylisoquinolines - chemistry; Benzylisoquinolines - pharmacology; BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein - metabolism; Bone cancer; Cancer therapies; Caspase; Caspases - metabolism; Cell culture; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell lines; Chemotherapy; Cytochrome; Cytochrome c; Cytochromes c - metabolism; Cytotoxicity; Drug resistance; Drug therapy; extrinsic pathway; Genetic aspects; Health aspects; Humans; Immunoglobulins; intrinsic pathway; Laboratories; Membranes; Microscopy; Mitochondria; Osteosarcoma; Osteosarcoma cells; Proteins; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 - metabolism; Sarcoma; Signal Transduction - drug effects; tetrandrine; China; United States > US
• DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2013.1761
• ISSN: 1791-2997

Although neoadjuvant chemotherapy has improved the survival rate of osteosarcoma patients, drug resistance remains a predominant obstacle to improving efficacy and necessitates the development of novel chemotherapeutical agents. The aim of this study was to investigate whether tetrandrine (TET) induces apoptosis in the U-2OS and MG-63 osteosarcoma cell lines and to further determine the under lying mechanism. This study investigated the effects of TET on osteosarcoma in vitro. To examine the antitumor effects of TET on osteosarcoma, the two osteosarcoma cell lines were treated with TET and subjected to apoptosis assays. The results revealed that TET induced the apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells was accompanied by increased cytochrome c (Cyto-C), apoptotic protease-activating factor (Apaf)-1, Bid and Bax activation and reduced Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl activation, demonstrating that the apoptosis may have occurred through the mitochondrial pathway. In conclusion, the results suggest that TET is a promising agent for osteosarcoma therapy.