ABSTRACT
Paeonol is a major phenolic micromolecular component of Moutan cortex Radicis, a traditional Chinese Medicine. It has shown antitumor effects in previous studies; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. This study investigated the mechanism by giving treatments of placebo, cyclophosphamide, paeonol of 150 and 300 mg/kg to 4 groups of mice bearing EMT6 breast cancer. Apoptosis in tumor cells were confirmed by morphology analysis, including hematoxylin, eosin staining and TUNEL staining. The results showed that the weight of EMT6 breast tumor was significantly reduced in the groups treated with both 150 and 300 mg/kg of paeonol. Immunohistochemical and Western blot results showed that the expression of Bcl-2 was down-regulated while the expression of Bax, caspase 8 and caspase 3 was up-regulated respectively. These results suggest that paeonol exhibits antitumor effects and the mechanism of the inhibition is via induction of apoptosis, regulation of Bcl-2 and Bax expression, and activation of caspase 8 and caspase 3.
Subject(s)
Animals , Mice , Apoptosis , Blotting, Western , Breast Neoplasms , Caspase 3 , Caspase 8 , Cyclophosphamide , Eosine Yellowish-(YS) , Hematoxylin , In Situ Nick-End Labeling , Medicine, Chinese Traditional , PhenolABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo study the reasons and mechanism of cardiomyocyte apoptosis in chronic heart failure by using Losartan and to provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of chronic heart failure. Methods The models of chronic heart failure were produced by injecting Adriamycin and Losartan as intervention agents, the expression of apoptotic protein Bax, Bcl-2 and channel protein ERK1, JNK1 and P38MAPK were detected by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR.Cardiomyocyte apoptosis and myocardial ultrastructure are detected by transmission electron microscopy and TUNEL staining.Results Compared with the model group of heart failure, after Losartan treatment, the ultra structure of myocardial cells were significantly improved, Apoptosis index was decreased significantly (P <0.01), The level of Bax and JNK1 decreased (Bax χ~2=6.6149, P=0.0078; JNK1 q=22.0156,P<0.01). However, the expressions of ERK1 and Bcl-2 were significantly increased (ERK1 q=15.3514,P<0.01;Bcl-2 χ~2=6.81,P=0.0074).Conclusion The effect of Losartan on chronic heart failure is related closely with the pathway of ERK1 and JNK1, and no p38 MAPK pathway.