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Cleistanthin B causes G1 arrest and induces apoptosis in mammalian cells

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Abstract

Cleistanthin B is a potential anticancer agent isolated from the tropical plant Cleistanthus collinus. We have previously shown that cleistanthin B is clastogenic and induces micronuclei formation and chromosomal aberrations. We now show that this compound inhibits DNA synthesis in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and induces apoptosis in cervical carcinoma (SiHa) cells. Flow cytometric analysis of cleistanthin treated CHO cells revealed that they were blocked in G1. Cervical carcinoma (SiHa) cells exposed to cleistanthin B shrank, rounded up and had condensed chromatin and fragmented nuclei. DNA isolated from cleistanthin treated cells exhibited the characteristic apoptotic ladder when electrophoresed in agarose gels. These results were confirmed by flow cytometry. Etoposide, a structurally similar compound also induced apoptosis in these cells although with a difference. Etoposide induced apoptosis after permitting cells to enter into S phase, while cleistanthin B stopped entry of cells into S phase and subsequently drove them to apoptosis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer Biology Division, School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai—, 625 021, India

    C. P. Pradheep Kumar & G. Shanmugam

  2. Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Uppal Road, Hyderabad-, 500 007, India

    G. Pande

Authors
  1. C. P. Pradheep Kumar
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  2. G. Pande
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  3. G. Shanmugam
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Pradheep Kumar, C.P., Pande, G. & Shanmugam, G. Cleistanthin B causes G1 arrest and induces apoptosis in mammalian cells. Apoptosis 3, 413–419 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009658518998

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