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β-Elemene inhibits Hsp90/Raf-1 molecular complex inducing apoptosis of glioblastoma cells

  • Laboratory Investigation - Human/Animal Tissue
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Abstract

β-Elemene, an active component of herb medicine Curcuma wenyujin, has been shown to antagonize glioblastoma cells by inducing apoptosis. However, how β-elemene induces apoptosis of these cells remains unclear. In this study, we report that β-elemene disrupted the formation of the Hsp90/Raf-1 complex, a key step in maintaining the conformation stability of Raf-1, and caused deactivation of Raf-1 and inhibition of the ERK pathway, thereby leading to apoptosis of glioblastoma cells. Specifically, treatment of glioblastoma cell lines with β-elemene attenuated phosphorylation of multiple members of the kinase families in the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK cascade, including Raf-1 and ERK as well as downstream signaling targets such as Bcl-2. These results suggest that the Hsp90/Raf-1 complex could be a promising molecular target for new drug development for the treatment of glioblastoma.

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Conflict of interest

Yong-shun Zhao, Ting-zhun Zhu, Yi-qun Yao, Chun-ming Wu, Zhen-qing Wei, Wei Wang, and Ying-hui Xu declare that we have no proprietary, financial, professional or other personal interest of any nature or kind in any product, service and/or company that could be construed as influencing the position presented in, or the review of, the manuscript entitled: β-elemene inhibits Hsp90/Raf-1 molecular complex inducing apoptosis of glioblastoma cells.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, 1st Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222 Zhong Shan Road, Dalian, 116011, People’s Republic of China

    Yong-Shun Zhao, Ting-Zhun Zhu, Yi-Qun Yao, Chun-Ming Wu, Zhen-Qing Wei & Ying-Hui Xu

  2. Department of Clinical Pharmacy, 1st Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222 Zhong Shan Road, Dalian, 116011, People’s Republic of China

    Yan-Wei Chen

  3. Laboratory of Biomedical Material Engineering, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhong Shan Road, Dalian, 116023, People’s Republic of China

    Wei Wang

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  1. Yong-Shun Zhao
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  2. Ting-Zhun Zhu
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  3. Yan-Wei Chen
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  4. Yi-Qun Yao
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  5. Chun-Ming Wu
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  6. Zhen-Qing Wei
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  7. Wei Wang
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  8. Ying-Hui Xu
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Wei Wang or Ying-Hui Xu.

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Ying-Hui Xu—primary corresponding author.

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Zhao, YS., Zhu, TZ., Chen, YW. et al. β-Elemene inhibits Hsp90/Raf-1 molecular complex inducing apoptosis of glioblastoma cells. J Neurooncol 107, 307–314 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-011-0770-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-011-0770-7

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