Molecular chemotherapeutic potential of butein: A concise review

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Butein is a biologically active flavonoid isolated from the bark of <I>Rhus verniciflua</I> Stokes, which is known to have therapeutic potential against various cancers. Notably, butein inhibits cancer cell growth by inducing G<SUB>2</SUB>/M phase arrest and apoptosis. Butein-induced G<SUB>2</SUB>/M phase arrest is associated with increased phosphorylation of ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and Chk1/2, and consequently, with reduced cdc25C levels. In addition, butein-induced apoptosis is mediated through the activation of caspase-3, which is associated with changes in the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins. Intriguingly, butein sensitizes cells to tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand-induced apoptosis via ERK-mediated Sp1 activation, which promotes the transcription of specific death receptor 5. Butein also inhibits the migration and invasion of human cancer cells by suppressing nuclear factor-κB- and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2-mediated expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and vascular endothelial growth factor. Additionally, butein downregulates the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase and causes a concomitant decrease in telomerase activity. These findings provide the basis for the pharmaceutical development of butein. The aim of this review is to provide an update on the mechanisms underlying the anticancer activity of butein, with a special focus on its effects on different cellular signaling cascades.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Butein induces apoptosis by activating Bax-caspase-3-PARP axis by PI3K/Akt-NF-κB axis through the inhibition of ROS generation. </LI> <LI> Butein induces G<SUB>2</SUB>/M phase cell cycle arrest by inhibiting ROS-mediated ATM-Chk1/2-Cdc25c-cdc2/cyclin B axis. </LI> <LI> Butein enhances TRAIL-mediated apoptosis by increasing DR5 expression through ERK-mediated Sp1 activation. </LI> <LI> Butein suppresses telomerase activity by inhibiting TERT expression and phosphorylation via c-Myc and PI3K/Akt. </LI> <LI> Butein attenuates angiogenesis, invasion/metastasis, and inflammation by suppressing the NF-κB signal pathway. </LI> </UL> </P>