Publication: Cucurbitacin B inhibits human breast cancer cell proliferation through disruption of microtubule polymerization and nucleophosmin/B23 translocation
Issued Date
2012
Resource Type
Language
eng
Rights
Mahidol University
Rights Holder(s)
BioMed Central
Bibliographic Citation
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Vol.12, (2012), 185
Suggested Citation
Suwit Duangmano, Phorntip Sae-lim, Apichart Suksamrarn, Frederick E Domann, Pimpicha Patmasiriwat Cucurbitacin B inhibits human breast cancer cell proliferation through disruption of microtubule polymerization and nucleophosmin/B23 translocation. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Vol.12, (2012), 185. Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/2768
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Authors
Journal Issue
Thesis
Title
Cucurbitacin B inhibits human breast cancer cell proliferation through disruption of microtubule polymerization and nucleophosmin/B23 translocation
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Background: Cucurbitacin B, an oxygenated tetracyclic triterpenoid compound extracted from the Thai medicinal
plant Trichosanthes cucumerina L., has been reported to have several biological activities including anti-inflammatory,
antimicrobial and anticancer. Cucurbitacin B is great of interest because of its biological activity. This agent inhibits
growth of various types of human cancer cells lines.
Methods: In this study, we explored the novel molecular response of cucurbitacin B in human breast cancer cells,
MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. The growth inhibitory effect of cucurbitacin B on breast cancer cells was assessed by MTT
assay. The effects of cucurbitacin B on microtubules morphological structure and tubulin polymerization were analyzed
using immunofluorescence technique and tubulin polymerization assay kit, respectively. Proteomic analysis was used
to identify the target-specific proteins that involved in cucurbitacin B treatment. Some of the differentially expressed
genes and protein products were validated by real-time RT-PCR and western blot analysis. Cell cycle distributions and
apoptosis were investigated using flow cytometry.
Results: Cucurbitacin B exhibited strong antiproliferative effects against breast cancer cells in a dose-dependent
manner. We show that cucurbitacin B prominently alters the cytoskeletal network of breast cancer cells, inducing rapid
morphologic changes and improper polymerization of the microtubule network. Moreover, the results of
2D-PAGE, real-time RT-PCR, and western blot analysis revealed that the expression of nucleophosmin/B23 and c-Myc
decreased markedly after cucurbitacin B treatment. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that cucurbitacin B
induced translocation of nucleophosmin/B23 from the nucleolus to nucleoplasm. Treatment with cucurbitacin B
resulted in cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase and the enhancement of apoptosis.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that cucurbitacin B may inhibit the proliferation of human breast cancer cells
through disruption of the microtubule network and down-regulation of c-Myc and nucleophosmin/B23 as well as the
perturbation in nucleophosmin/B23 trafficking from the nucleolus to nucleoplasm, resulting in G2/M arrest.