Induction of p53 contributes to apoptosis of HCT-116 human colon cancer cells induced by the dietary compound fisetin

摘要

Fisetin, or 3,3', 4',7-tetrahydroxyflavone, is present in fruits and vegetables and has been previously reported to inhibit the proliferation of a variety of cancer cells (Lu X, Jung J, Cho HJ, Lim do Y, Lee HS, Chun HS, Kwon DY, Park JH. J Nutr 135: 2884-2890, 2005). We have demonstrated in a previous work that 20-60μmol/l fisetin inhibits cyclin-dependent kinase activities resulting in cell cycle arrest in HT-29 colon cancer cells. In the present study, we attempted to characterize the mechanisms by which fisetin induces apoptosis in HCT-116 cells. DNA condensations, cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and cleavage of caspases 9, 7, and 3 were induced in HCT-116 cells treated with 5-20 μmol/l of fisetin. Fisetin induced a reduction in the protein levels of antiapoptotic Bcl-xL and Bcl-2 and an increase in the levels of proapoptotic Bak and Bim. Fisetin did not affect the Bax protein levels, but induced the mito-chondrial translocation of this protein. Fisetin also enhanced the permeability of the mitochondrial membrane and induced the release of cytochrome c and Smac/Diablo. Additionally, fisetin caused an increase in the protein levels of cleaved caspase-8, Fas ligand, death receptor 5, and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, and the caspase-8 inhibitor Z-IETD-FMK suppressed fisetin-induced apoptosis and the activation of caspase-3. Furthermore, fisetin increases p53 protein levels, and the inhibition of p53 expression by small interference RNA resulted in a decrease in the fisetin-induced translocation of Bax to the mitochondria, release of mono- and oligonucleosome in the cytoplasm, and PARP cleavage. These results show that fisetin induces apoptosis in HCT-116 cells via the activation of the death receptor- and mitochondrial-dependent pathway and subsequent activation of the caspase cascade. The induction of p53 results in the translocation of Bax to the mitochondria, which contributes to fisetin-induced apoptosis in HCT-116 cells.