Ganoderic acid X, a lanostanoid triterpene, inhibits topoisomerases and induces apoptosis of cancer cells

Life Sci. 2005 Jun 3;77(3):252-65. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2004.09.045. Epub 2005 Feb 25.

Abstract

Lanostanoid triterpenes isolated from Ganoderma amboinense were found to inhibit the growth of numerous cancer cell lines, and some of them inhibited the activities of topoisomerases I and IIalpha in vitro. Among the bioactive isolates, one of the most potent triterpene was identified to be 3 alpha-hydroxy-15 alpha-acetoxy-lanosta-7,9(11),24-trien-26-oic acid, ganoderic acid X (GAX). Treatment of human hepatoma HuH-7 cells with GAX caused immediate inhibition of DNA synthesis as well as activation of ERK and JNK mitogen-activated protein kinases, and cell apoptosis. Molecular events of apoptosis including degradation of chromosomal DNA, decrease in the level of Bcl-xL, the disruption of mitochondrial membrane, cytosolic release of cytochrome c and activation of caspase-3 were elucidated. The ability of GAX to inhibit topoisomerases and to sensitize the cancer cells toward apoptosis fulfills the feature of a potential anticancer drug.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, Neoplasm / metabolism
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / metabolism
  • Apoptosis / physiology*
  • Caspase 3
  • Caspases / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • DNA Topoisomerases, Type I / metabolism
  • DNA Topoisomerases, Type II / metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Enzyme Activation
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / metabolism
  • Ganoderma / chemistry
  • Humans
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Lanosterol* / analogs & derivatives*
  • Lanosterol* / chemistry
  • Lanosterol* / metabolism*
  • Lanosterol* / therapeutic use
  • Medicine, Chinese Traditional
  • Molecular Structure
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Topoisomerase I Inhibitors*
  • Topoisomerase II Inhibitors*
  • Triterpenes* / chemistry
  • Triterpenes* / metabolism*
  • Triterpenes* / therapeutic use

Substances

  • 3alpha-hydroxy-15alpha-acetoxy-lanosta-7,9(11),24-trien-26-oic acid
  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Topoisomerase I Inhibitors
  • Topoisomerase II Inhibitors
  • Triterpenes
  • Lanosterol
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • CASP3 protein, human
  • Caspase 3
  • Caspases
  • DNA Topoisomerases, Type I
  • DNA Topoisomerases, Type II