Tsao S W, Ng T B, Yeung H W
Department of Anatomy, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin.
Toxicon. 1990;28(10):1183-92. doi: 10.1016/0041-0101(90)90118-q.
Trichosanthin and alpha-momorcharin are abortifacient proteins extracted from Chinese medicinal herbs. Study of their in vitro cytotoxicities showed that the two proteins selectively injured choriocarcinoma and melanoma cells. Hepatoma cells represented the most resistant cell line among the various cell lines investigated. Cytotoxicity profiles of trichosanthin and alpha-momorcharin differed from those of anti-cancer drugs which interfere with DNA metabolism such as cisplatin, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil. Radioactive precursor incorporation studies suggested that the two abortifacient proteins inhibited cellular protein synthesis. The marked decrease in secretion of human chorionic gonadotrophin and progesterone by choriocarcinoma cells after treatment with the proteins could be attributed mainly to loss of cells.
天花粉蛋白和α-苦瓜素是从中药材中提取的堕胎蛋白。对它们体外细胞毒性的研究表明，这两种蛋白能选择性地损伤绒毛膜癌细胞和黑色素瘤细胞。在研究的各种细胞系中，肝癌细胞是最具抗性的细胞系。天花粉蛋白和α-苦瓜素的细胞毒性谱与干扰DNA代谢的抗癌药物如顺铂、甲氨蝶呤和5-氟尿嘧啶不同。放射性前体掺入研究表明，这两种堕胎蛋白抑制细胞蛋白质合成。用这些蛋白处理后，绒毛膜癌细胞分泌的人绒毛膜促性腺激素和孕酮显著减少，这主要可归因于细胞的损失。
