Bisindolylmaleimide alkaloid BMA-155Cl induces autophagy and apoptosis in human hepatocarcinoma HepG-2 cells through the NF-κB p65 pathway

• Published in: Acta pharmacologica Sinica 2017-04, Vol.38 (4), p.524-538
• Main Authors: Sun, Xiao, Li, Lin, Ma, Hong-guang, Sun, Pu, Wang, Qi-lin, Zhang, Ting-ting, Shen, Yue-mao, Zhu, Wei-ming, Li, Xia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Apoptosis - drug effects; Autophagy - drug effects; bcl-2-Associated X Protein - metabolism; Beclin-1 - metabolism; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - metabolism; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - pathology; Hep G2 Cells; Humans; I-kappa B Proteins - metabolism; Immunology; Indole Alkaloids - pharmacology; Indole Alkaloids - therapeutic use; Indoles - pharmacology; Indoles - therapeutic use; Internal Medicine; Liver Neoplasms - drug therapy; Liver Neoplasms - metabolism; Liver Neoplasms - pathology; Male; Maleimides - pharmacology; Maleimides - therapeutic use; Medical Microbiology; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Nude; Microtubule-Associated Proteins - metabolism; Neoplasm Transplantation; Original; original-article; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 - metabolism; Signal Transduction; Transcription Factor RelA - metabolism; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 - metabolism; Vaccine
• ISSN: 1671-4083; 1745-7254
• DOI: 10.1038/aps.2016.171

Bisindolylmaleimides, a series of derivatives of a PKC inhibitor staurosporine, exhibit potential as anti-cancer drugs and have received considerable attention in clinical trials. This study aims to investigate the effects of a bisindolylmaleimide alkaloid 155Cl (BMA-155Cl) with a novel structure on autophagy and apoptosis in human hepatocarcinoma HepG-2 cells in vitro and in vivo . The cell poliferation was assessed with a MTT assay. Autophagy was evaluated by MDC staining and TEM analysis. Apoptosis was investigated using Annexin V-FITC/PI and DAPI staining. The antitumor effects were further evaluated in nude mice bearing HepG-2 xenografts, which received BMA-155Cl (10, 20 mg/kg, ip) for 18 days. Autophagy- and apoptosis-associated proteins and their mRNA levels were examined with Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and RT-PCR. BMA-155Cl (2.5–20 μmol/L) inhibited the growth of HepG-2 cells with IC 50 values of 16.62±1.34, 12.21±0.83, and 8.44±1.82 μmol/L at 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. Furthermore, BMA-155Cl (5–20 μmol/L) dose-dependently induced autophagy and apoptosis in HepG-2 cells. The formation of autophagic vacuoles was induced by BMA-155Cl (10 μmol/L) at approximately 6 h and peaked at approximately 15 h. Pretreatment with 3-MA potentiated BMA-155Cl-mediated apoptotic cell death. This compound dose-dependently increased the mRNA and protein levels of Beclin-1, NF-κB p65, p53, and Bax, but decreased the expression of IκB and Bcl-2. Pretreatment with BAY 11-7082, a specific inhibitor of NF-κB p65, blocked BMA-155Cl-induced expression of autophagy- and apoptosis-associated proteins. BMA-155Cl administration effectively suppressed the growth of HepG-2 xenografts in vivo, and increased the protein expression levels of LC3B, Beclin-1, NF-κB p65, and Bax in vivo . We conclude that the NF-κB p65 pathway is involved in BMA-155Cl-triggered autophagy, followed by apoptosis in HepG-2 cells in vitro and in vivo . Hence, BMA-155Cl could be a promising pro-apoptotic candidate for developing as a novel anti-cancer drug.