Ophiobolin O isolated from Aspergillus ustus induces G1 arrest of MCF-7 cells through interaction with AKT/GSK3β/cyclin D1 signaling

Mar Drugs. 2015 Jan 16;13(1):431-43. doi: 10.3390/md13010431.

Abstract

Ophiobolin O is a member of ophiobolin family, which has been proved to be a potent anti-tumor drug candidate for human breast cancer. However, the anti-tumor effect and the mechanism of ophiobolin O remain unclear. In this study, we further verified ophiobolin O-induced G1 phase arrest in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells, and found that ophiobolin O reduced the phosphorylation level of AKT and GSK3β, and induced down-regulation of cyclin D1. The inverse docking (INVDOCK) analysis indicated that ophiobolin O could bind to GSK3β, and GSK3β knockdown abolished cyclin D1 degradation and G1 phase arrest. Pre-treatment with phosphatase inhibitor sodium or thovanadate halted dephosphorylation of AKT and GSK3β, and blocked ophiobolin O-induced G1 phase arrest. These data suggest that ophiobolin O may induce G1 arrest in MCF-7 cells through interaction with AKT/GSK3β/cyclin D1 signaling. In vivo, ophiobolin O suppressed tumor growth and showed little toxicity in mouse xenograft models. Overall, these findings provide theoretical basis for the therapeutic use of ophiobolin O.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aspergillus / chemistry*
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Cyclin D1 / drug effects*
  • Female
  • G1 Phase / drug effects*
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / drug effects*
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells / drug effects*
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Oncogene Protein v-akt / drug effects*
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Sesterterpenes / isolation & purification
  • Sesterterpenes / pharmacology*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects

Substances

  • Sesterterpenes
  • Cyclin D1
  • ophiobolin C
  • GSK3B protein, human
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
  • Gsk3b protein, mouse
  • Oncogene Protein v-akt
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3