New targets for the antitumor activity of gambogic acid in hematologic malignancies
Abstract
Li-jing YANG, Yan CHEN*
Department of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
Gambogic acid (GA) is the main active ingredient of gamboge, a brownish to orange dry resin secreted from Garcinia hanburyi, a plant that is widely distributed in nature. Recent in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that GA exerts potent antitumor effects against solid tumors of various derivations, and its antitumor mechanisms have been thoroughly investigated. On the other hand, normal cells remain relatively resistant to GA, indicating a therapeutic window. GA is currently in clinical trials in China. Over the last decade, our laboratory demonstrates that GA exhibits potent anticancer activities against hematological malignancies. This review focuses on the new mechanisms through which GA inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in malignant hematological cells. These include the regulation of expression and intracellular positioning of nucleoporin and nucleophosmin; downregulation of steroid receptor coactivator-3 (SRC-3) and its downstream proteins; upregulation of death inducer-obliterator (DIO-1); downregulation of HERG potassium channel; as well as induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation.
Keywords: gambogic acid; hematological malignancies; death inducer-obliterator; HERG channel; nucleophosmin; nucleoporin; steroid receptor coactivator-3; reactive oxygen species
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81070429).
* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
E-mail yanchen@public.wh.hb.cn
Received 2012-08-14 Accepted 2012-11-02
Keywords:
Department of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
Gambogic acid (GA) is the main active ingredient of gamboge, a brownish to orange dry resin secreted from Garcinia hanburyi, a plant that is widely distributed in nature. Recent in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that GA exerts potent antitumor effects against solid tumors of various derivations, and its antitumor mechanisms have been thoroughly investigated. On the other hand, normal cells remain relatively resistant to GA, indicating a therapeutic window. GA is currently in clinical trials in China. Over the last decade, our laboratory demonstrates that GA exhibits potent anticancer activities against hematological malignancies. This review focuses on the new mechanisms through which GA inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in malignant hematological cells. These include the regulation of expression and intracellular positioning of nucleoporin and nucleophosmin; downregulation of steroid receptor coactivator-3 (SRC-3) and its downstream proteins; upregulation of death inducer-obliterator (DIO-1); downregulation of HERG potassium channel; as well as induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation.
Keywords: gambogic acid; hematological malignancies; death inducer-obliterator; HERG channel; nucleophosmin; nucleoporin; steroid receptor coactivator-3; reactive oxygen species
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81070429).
* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
E-mail yanchen@public.wh.hb.cn
Received 2012-08-14 Accepted 2012-11-02