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[10]-Gingerol induces mitochondrial apoptosis through activation of MAPK pathway in HCT116 human colon cancer cells

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Abstract

The present study was designed to investigate the molecular mechanisms of [10]-gingerol activity against HCT116 human colon cancer cells. [10]-Gingerol inhibited the proliferation of HCT116 cells by 50% at a concentration of 30 μM, and this inhibition was dose-dependent accompanied by the morphological changes indicative of apoptosis. Furthermore, flow cytometric analysis showed that [10]-gingerol increased DNA in the sub-G1 phase of the cell cycle, and the extent of apoptosis was confirmed by Annexin V and PI double staining. Analysis of the mechanism of these events indicated that [10]-gingerol-treated cells exhibited an increased ratio of Bax/Bcl-2, resulting in the activation of caspase-9, caspase-3, and poly-ADP-ribose polymerase in a dose-dependent manner, which are hallmarks of apoptosis. Moreover, [10]-gingerol-induced apoptosis was accompanied by phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKs) family, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38 MAPK (p38), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). This is the first report to demonstrate the cytotoxic effect of [10]-gingerol on human colon cancer cells, as well as the first to describe its possible chemotherapeutic potentials.

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported by the International Research & Development Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea (Project No. NRF-2011K1A5A2000067) and the Globalization of Korean Foods R&D program, funded by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Republic of Korea (Project No. 2012-01-0008).

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  1. Department of Foods and Nutrition, College of Natural Sciences, Duksung Women’s University, Seoul, 132-714, Republic of Korea

    Min Ju Ryu & Ha Sook Chung

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  1. Min Ju Ryu
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  2. Ha Sook Chung
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Correspondence to Ha Sook Chung.

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Editor: T. Okamoto

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Ryu, M.J., Chung, H.S. [10]-Gingerol induces mitochondrial apoptosis through activation of MAPK pathway in HCT116 human colon cancer cells. In Vitro Cell.Dev.Biol.-Animal 51, 92–101 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11626-014-9806-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11626-014-9806-6

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