Sesquiterpene lactones derived from Saussurea lappa induce apoptosis and inhibit invasion and migration in neuroblastoma cells

• Main Authors: Keiichi Tabata, Yuki Nishimura, Taiji Takeda, Masahiro Kurita, Taketo Uchiyama, Takashi Suzuki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2015-04-01
• Series: Journal of Pharmacological Sciences
• Subjects: Sesquiterpenes; Neuroblastoma; Apoptosis; Invasion; Migration
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1347861315000055

Neuroblastoma is among the most fatal of solid tumors in the pediatric age group, even when treated aggressively. Therefore, a new effective therapeutic drug(s) for neuroblastoma is urgently needed. To clarify the anticancer effects of the sesquiterpene lactones dehydrocostus lactone and costunolide, derived from Saussurea lappa, we examined the cytotoxic and migration/invasion-inhibitory effects of these compounds against neuroblastoma cell lines. Both the compounds exerted significant cytotoxicity against the neuroblastoma cell lines IMR-32, NB-39, SK-N-SH, and LA-N-1. Evidence of cellular apoptosis, such as nuclear condensation and membrane inversion, were observed after treatment with these compounds. Both compounds induced caspase-7 activation and PARP cleavage as confirmed by Western blotting. Furthermore, the sesquiterpene lactones also suppressed invasion and migration of the neuroblastoma cells. These results suggest that dehydrocostus lactone and costunolide are promising candidates for being developed into novel anticancer drugs effective against neuroblastoma.