Asperolide A, a Marine-Derived Tetranorditerpenoid, Induces G2/M Arrest in Human NCI-H460 Lung Carcinoma Cells, Is Mediated by p53-p21 Stabilization and Modulated by Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK Signaling Pathway

• Main Authors: Caiguo Huang, Bingui Wang, Ruohua Chen, Shanjian Wei, Haofen Sun, Cuiting Lv, Wenxia Sun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2013-01-01
• Series: Marine Drugs
• Subjects: asperolide A; G2/M arrest; p53-p21; Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/11/2/316

Here we first demonstrate that asperolide A, a very recently reported marine-derived tetranorditerpenoid, leads to the inhibition of NCI-H460 lung carcinoma cell proliferation by G2/M arrest with the activation of the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling and p53-dependent p21 pathway. Treatment with 35 μM asperolide A (2 × IC50) resulted in a significant increase in the proportion of G2/M phase cells, about a 2.9-fold increase during 48 h. Immunoblot assays demonstrated time-dependent inhibition of G2/M regulatory proteins. Moreover, asperolide A significantly activated MAP kinases (ERK1/2, JNK and p38 MAP kinase) by phosphorylation, and only the inhibition of ERK activation by PD98059 reversed downregulation of G2/M regulatory proteins CDC2, and suppressed upregulation of p21 and p-p53 levels. Transfection of cells with dominant-negative Ras (RasN17) mutant genes up-regulated asperolide A-induced the decrease of cyclin B1 and CDC2, suppressed Raf, ERK activity and p53-p21 expression, and at last, abolished G2/M arrest. This study indicates that asperolide A-induced G2/M arrest in human NCI-H460 lung carcinoma cells relys on the participation of the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway in p53-p21 stabilization. An in vivo study with asperolide A illustrated a marked inhibition of tumor growth, and little toxcity compared to Cisplatin therapy. Overall, these findings provide potential effectiveness and a theoretical basis for the therapeutic use of asperolide A in the treatment of malignancies.