Apoptosis-induced effects of extract from Artemisia annua Linne by modulating PTEN/p53/PDK1/Akt/ signal pathways through PTEN/p53-independent manner in HCT116 colon cancer cells

Background: The extracts from Artemisia annua Linne (AAE) has been known to possess various functions including anti-bacterial, anti-virus and anti-oxidant effects. However, the mechanism of those effects of AAE is not well known. Pursuantly, we determined the apoptotic effects of extract of AAE in HCT116 cell. In this study, we suggested that AAE may exert cancer cell apoptosis through PTEN/PDK1/Akt/p53signal pathway and mitochondria-mediated apoptotic proteins. Methods: We measured 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay, Hoechst 33342 staining, Annexin V-PI staining, Mitopotential assay, immunofluorescence (IF) and Western blotting. Accordingly, our study showed that AAE treatment to HCT116 cells resulted in inhibition of PDK1, Akt, MDM2, Bcl-2, and pro-caspase 3 as well as activation of PTEN, p53-upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA), Bax and Bak expression. Also we measured in vivo assay that xenograft model, H&E assay, TUNEL assay and IHC. Results: AAE induced apoptosis via PTEN/p53/PDK1/Akt signal pathways through PTEN/p53-independent manner. AAE inhibit cell viability and increase LDH release in HCT116 colon cancer cell. Also, AAE increase apoptotic bodies, caspase -3,7 activation and reduces mitochondria membrane potential. AAE regulates cytochrome c translocation to the cytoplasm and Bax translocation to the mitochondrial membrane in an Immunofluorescence staining and increase PTEN and p53 expression in an in vivo tumor xenograft model. To elucidate the role of the PTEN/p53/PDK1/Akt signal pathways in cancer control, we conditionally inactivated PTEN/p53/PDK1/Akt signal pathways. We used inhibitors of PTEN, p53, PDK1, Akt. In consequence, these results indicate that AAE induced apoptosis by means of a mitochondrial event through the regulation of proteins such as Bax, Bak and cytochrome c in PDK1/Akt signaling pathways via PTEM/p53-independent manner. Conclusions: We confirmed the apoptotic effect of extracts of AAE by Modulating PTEN/p53/PDK1/Akt/Signal Pathways through PTEN/p53-independent pathwaysin HCT116 colon cancer cell.