Polyphenols Isolated from Allium cepa L. Induces Apoptosis by Induction of p53 and Suppression of Bcl-2 through Inhibiting PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway in AGS Human Cancer Cells

• Published in: Journal of cancer prevention 2014, 19(1), , pp.14-22
• Main Authors: Lee, Won Sup, Yi, Sang Mi, Yun, Jeong Won, Jung, Ji Hyun, Kim, Dong Hoon, Kim, Hye Jung, Chang, Seong-Hwan, Kim, GonSup, Ryu, Chung Ho, Shin, Sung Chul, Hong, Soon Chan, Choi, Yung Hyun, Jung, Jin-Myung
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Original; 예방의학
• ISSN: 2288-3649; 2288-3657
• DOI: 10.15430/JCP.2014.19.1.14

The extract of Allium cepa Linn is commonly used as adjuvant food for cancer therapy. We assumed that it includes a potential source of anti-cancer properties. We investigated anti-cancer effects of polyphenols extracted from lyophilized A. cepa Linn (PEAL) in AGS human cancer cells. PEAL inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner. It was related to caspase-dependent apoptosis. We confirmed this finding with annexin V staining. PEAL up-regulated p53 expression, and subsequent Bax induction, down regulated Bcl-2 protein, anti-apoptotic protein. In addition, PEAL suppressed Akt activity and PEAL-induced apoptosis were significantly accentuated with Akt inhibitor (LY294002). Our data suggested that PEAL induce caspase-dependent apoptosis through mitochondrial pathway by up-regulating p53 protein, and subsequent Bax protein as well as by modulating Bcl-2 protein, and that PEAL induces caspase-dependent apoptosis at least in part through the inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway. This study provides evidence that PEAL might be useful for the treatment of cancer.