Therapeutic potential of α,β‐thujone through metabolic reprogramming and caspase‐dependent apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells

The therapeutic potential of α,β‐thujone, a functional compound found in many medicinal plants of the Cupressaceae, Asteraceae, and Lamiaceae families, has been demonstrated, including in inflammation and cancers. However, its pharmacological functions and mechanisms of action in ovarian cancer rema...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of cellular physiology 2021-02, Vol.236 (2), p.1545-1558
Main Authors: Lee, Jin‐Young, Park, Hahyun, Lim, Whasun, Song, Gwonhwa
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antiangiogenics
Anticancer properties
Apoptosis
Blood vessels
Caspase
Cell death
Cell proliferation
Cisplatin
Endoplasmic reticulum
Herbal medicine
Medicinal plants
metabolic reprogramming
Metabolism
Mitochondria
Ovarian cancer
Pharmacology
Thujone
Zebrafish
β‐thujone
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The therapeutic potential of α,β‐thujone, a functional compound found in many medicinal plants of the Cupressaceae, Asteraceae, and Lamiaceae families, has been demonstrated, including in inflammation and cancers. However, its pharmacological functions and mechanisms of action in ovarian cancer remain unclear. We investigated the anticancer properties of α,β‐thujone in ES2 and OV90 human ovarian cancer cells and its effect on sensitization to cisplatin. α,β‐thujone inhibited cancer cell proliferation and induced cell death through caspase‐dependent intrinsic apoptotic pathways. Moreover, α,β‐thujone‐mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress was associated with the loss of mitochondrial functions and altered metabolic landscape of ovarian cancer cells. α,β‐Thujone attenuated blood vessel formation in transgenic zebrafish, implying it has significant antiangiogenic potential. In addition, α,β‐thujone sensitized ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin, causing synergistic pharmacological effects. Collectively, our results suggest that α,β‐thujone has therapeutic potential in human ovarian cancer and functions via regulating multiple intracellular stress‐associated metabolic reprogramming and caspase‐dependent apoptotic pathways. The results of the present study reveal that α,β‐thujone, when used either alone or in a combination therapy. It may contribute to overcoming resistance to the platinum‐based chemotherapy drugs used in ovarian cancer treatment.
ISSN:0021-9541
1097-4652
DOI:10.1002/jcp.30086