Antitumor effects of α‐bisabolol against pancreatic cancer

• Published in: Cancer science Vol. 102; no. 12; pp. 2199 - 2205
• Main Authors: Seki, Takashi, Kokuryo, Toshio, Yokoyama, Yukihiro, Suzuki, Hisanori, Itatsu, Keita, Nakagawa, Akifumi, Mizutani, Tetsushi, Miyake, Takashi, Uno, Masanori, Yamauchi, Kohei, Nagino, Masato
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.2011; Blackwell
• Subjects: Animals; Apoptosis - drug effects; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cell Survival - drug effects; Early Growth Response Protein 1 - metabolism; Epithelial Cells - drug effects; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Humans; Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Nude; Pancreatic Neoplasms - drug therapy; Pancreatic Neoplasms - metabolism; Pancreatic Neoplasms - pathology; Plant Oils - administration & dosage; Plant Oils - pharmacology; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt - metabolism; RNA Interference; RNA, Small Interfering; Sesquiterpenes - administration & dosage; Sesquiterpenes - pharmacology; Tumors; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays; Antineoplastic agent; Cancerology; Pancreas cancer; Digestive diseases; Malignant tumor; Cancer; Pancreatic disease
• ISSN: 1347-9032; 1349-7006
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1349-7006.2011.02082.x

In the present study, we investigated whether α‐bisabolol, a sesquiterpene alcohol present in essential oils derived from a variety of plants, has antitumor effects against pancreatic cancer. α‐Bisabolol induced a decrease in cell proliferation and viability in pancreatic cancer cell lines (KLM1, KP4, Panc1, MIA Paca2), but not in pancreatic epithelial cells (ACBRI515). α‐Bisabolol treatment induced apoptosis and suppressed Akt activation in pancreatic cancer cell lines. Furthermore, α‐bisabolol treatment induced the overexpression of early growth response‐1 (EGR1), whereas EGR1 siRNA decreased the α‐bisabolol‐induced cell death of KLM1 cells. Tumor growth in both subcutaneous and peritoneal xenograft nude mouse models was significantly inhibited by intragastric administration of 1000 mg/kg of α‐bisabolol, once a week for three weeks. The results indicate that α‐bisabolol could be a novel therapeutic option for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. (Cancer Sci 2011; 102: 2199–2205)