Cancer Letters

Cancer Letters

Volume 245, Issues 1–2, 8 January 2007, Pages 269-274
Cancer Letters

Difference of growth-inhibitory effect of Scutellaria baicalensis-producing flavonoid wogonin among human cancer cells and normal diploid cell

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.canlet.2006.01.011Get rights and content

Abstract

Methanol extract from cultured Scutellaria baicalensis cells inhibited the proliferation of human monocytic leukemia cell line THP-1 and human osteogenic sarcoma cell line HOS. The inhibitory effects of baicalin, baicalein and wogonin, the three major flavonoids contained in the extract, were studied. It should be noted that wogonin did not show the inhibitory effect on human fetal lung normal diploid cell line TIG-1, as compared to the inhibition observed in cancer cells. Physiological analyses in THP-1 cells showed that wogonin induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase and apoptosis. This is the first report discovering a cancer-specific apoptosis-inducing activity of wogonin.

Introduction

Scutellaria Radix is the dried root of Scutellaria baicalensis and has been used as traditional Chinese medicine to treat allergic and inflammatory diseases in Japan and China [1], [2]. The pharmacologic actions of Scutellaria Radix such as reduction of blood pressure and suppression of allergic actions were studied [3], [4]. The flavonoids contained in Scutellaria Radix are known to be important for pharmacologic actions, and various physiologic activities of baicalin, baicalein and wogonin, the major components of Scutellaria Radix, were studied well. These flavonoids were reported to have antioxidative activities [5], [6]. The inhibitory effects of baicalein and baicalin on expansion of human viruses were observed [7], [8], and a protective effect of baicalin on renal cell injury was shown by Yokozawa et al. [9]. In addition, it was reported that baicalin, baicalein, and wogonin suppressed production of nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 by lipopolysaccharide-inducing mouse macrophage cell line [10], [11].

It has also been reported that baicalin, baicalein, and wogonin showed anticancer effects on human hepatoma cell lines [12], [13], [14], [15]. However, the effects of these flavonoids on normal cells have not been studied. In this study, we report a different pharmacologic action of wogonin between cancer cell line and normal diploid cell line.

Section snippets

Culture of human cell lines

Human monocytic leukemia cell line THP-1 and human osteogenic sarcoma cell line HOS were cultured in RPMI1640 media supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) and 50 μg/ml ampicillin/streptomycin/kanamycin under 5% CO2 atomosphere at 37 °C. Human fetal lung diploid cell line TIG-1 was cultured in DMEM medium supplemented with 10% FBS and 50 μg/ml ampicillin/streptomycin /kanamycin under 5% CO2 atmosphere at 37 °C.

Extraction of flavonoids from cultured S. baicalensis cells

Cell culture established from root of S. baicalensis Georgi was kindly provided

Effects of extracts from S. baicalensis on proliferation of human cell lines

The effects of the extract from S. baicalensis on proliferation of human cell lines were determined with leukemia cell line THP-1 and sarcoma cell line HOS (Fig. 1). The extract inhibited proliferation of both cells, and the inhibitory effect on HOS cells was stronger than that on THP-1 cells. Viable HOS cells gradually decreased from 24 to 72 h after addition of the extract, whereas THP-1 cells slightly increased. As compared with vigorous increase of both control cells (without addition of the

Discussion

The methanol extract from liquid-cultured S. baicalensis cells inhibited proliferation of human monocytic leukemia cell line THP-1 and human osteogenic sarcoma cell line HOS (Fig. 1). Proliferation of HOS cells was completely inhibited, and the inhibition rate increased according to the time of treatment. In another side, proliferation of THP-1 cells was also inhibited by addition of the extract. However, THP-1 cells showed a slight proliferation, demonstrating that the sensitivities of cancer

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