ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the chemical constituents of active fraction of Cynanchum versicolor. METHODS: The ethanol extract of Cynanchum versicolor was purified by macroporous resin, silica gel column and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, and structures of the isolated compounds were identified by spectroscopic analysis and comparison with those of literatures. RESULTS: Six compounds were isolated and identified as glaucogenin C (I), 24-methyl-5α-cholesta-7,22-diene-3ß,5,6ß-triol (II), syringic acid (III), 3,4-dihydroxyacetophenone (IV), 4-hydroxyacetophenone (V), and 4-hyroxy-3-methoxyacetophenone (VI). CONCLUSION: Compounds I, II and IV are isolated from this plant for the first time.
Subject(s)
Cynanchum/chemistry , Phytochemicals/isolation & purification , Acetophenones/chemistry , Acetophenones/isolation & purification , Gallic Acid/analogs & derivatives , Gallic Acid/chemistry , Gallic Acid/isolation & purification , Phytochemicals/chemistryABSTRACT
The E2F family member of transcription factors includes the atypical member E2F8, which has been little studied in cancer. We report that E2F8 is strongly upregulated in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), where it was evidenced to contribute to oncogenesis and progression. Ectopic overexpression of E2F8 promoted cell proliferation, colony formation, and tumorigenicity, whereas E2F8 knockdown inhibited these phenotypes, as documented in Huh-7, Focus, Hep3B, and YY-8103 HCC cell lines. Mechanistic analyses indicated that E2F8 could bind to regulatory elements of cyclin D1, regulating its transcription and promoting accumulation of S-phase cells. Together, our findings suggest that E2F8 contributes to the oncogenic potential of HCC and may constitute a potential therapeutic target in this disease.
