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Guggulsterone enhances antitumor activity of gemcitabine in gallbladder cancer cells through suppression of NF-κB

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Abstract

Purpose

Patients with gallbladder cancer usually have a poor prognosis, and effective standard chemotherapeutic regimens have not been established. The anticancer activities of guggulsterone have been demonstrated in various cancer cells. The aims of the study were to determine the effect of guggulsterone on gallbladder cancer cells and to investigate whether treatment with guggulsterone influences the antitumor activities of gemcitabine.

Methods

The Dojindo Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was used to determine the inhibition of proliferation by drugs in TGBC1 and TGBC2 cells. Cell migration and invasion were examined using 24-well inserts and Matrigel™-coated invasion chambers. The activities of NF-κB p65, VEGF-C, and MMP-2 were measured by ELISA.

Results

Guggulsterone inhibited the proliferation and suppressed migration and invasion of gallbladder cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. Guggulsterone significantly decreased NF-κB p65, VEGF-C, and MMP-2 activities in the gallbladder cancer cells examined. Gallbladder cancer cells treated with a combination of guggulsterone and gemcitabine demonstrated significant inhibition of cell proliferation and invasion when compared to treatment with gemcitabine alone. In addition, NF-κB p65 activation decreased significantly in cells treated with a combination of guggulsterone and gemcitabine when compared to treatment with gemcitabine alone.

Conclusions

Guggulsterone exhibits anticancer activities and enhances the antitumor activities of gemcitabine through the suppression of NF-κB activation in gallbladder cancer cells. These results suggest that guggulsterone could be a potential therapeutic option for patients with gallbladder cancer.

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Abbreviations

GBC:

Gallbladder cancer

GS:

Guggulsterone

FXR:

Farnesoid X receptor

NF-κB:

Nuclear factor-kappa B

VEGF-C:

Vascular endothelial growth factor-C

MMP-2:

Matrix metalloproteinase-2

DMEM:

Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium

FBS:

Fetal bovine serum

MEM:

Minimum essential medium

DMSO:

Dimethylsulphoxide

SEM:

The standard error of the mean

BTC:

Biliary tract cancer

IκB:

Inhibitor of κB

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Samsung Biomedical Research Institute Grant, # SBRI C-A9-226-2.

Conflict of interest

None of the authors claims any conflict of interest exists upon this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Health Promotion, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Moon Hee Yang

  2. Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 50 Irwon-dong, Gangnam-gu, 135-710, Seoul, Korea

    Kyu Taek Lee, Jong Kyoon Lee, Kwang Hyuck Lee & Jong Chul Rhee

  3. Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Sera Yang

  4. Department of Medicine, Ewha Woman’s University Mokdong Hospital, Seoul, Korea

    Il Hwan Moon

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  1. Moon Hee Yang
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Correspondence to Kyu Taek Lee.

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Yang, M.H., Lee, K.T., Yang, S. et al. Guggulsterone enhances antitumor activity of gemcitabine in gallbladder cancer cells through suppression of NF-κB. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 138, 1743–1751 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-012-1254-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-012-1254-7

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