Deng Lin, Zhang Rui, Tang Feng, Li Chen, Xing Ying-Ying, Xi Tao
School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
Chin J Nat Med. 2014 Jan;12(1):15-9. doi: 10.1016/S1875-5364(14)60003-0.
Ursolic acid (UA), a pentacyclic triterpenoid, is used as an anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agent. There were few studies on the effects of UA on differentiation, and this is the first time to elucidate the potential effect and molecular mechanism of UA on inducing differentiation in the human leukemia cell line U937.
Wright-Giemsa staining, nitroblue tetrazolium reduction assay and flow cytometric analysis were utilized to demonstrate the differentiation of U937 cells induced by UA. Western blotting and immunofluorescence assay were used to investigate the possible mechanism.
It was found that UA could induce the differentiation of U937cells and Akt-activity was significantly increased during differentiation. Additionally, LY294002, a PI3K-Akt inhibitor, could block the differentiation of U937 cells induced by UA.
UA could induce the differentiation of U937 cells by activating the PI3K/Akt pathway, and it could be a potential candidate as a differentiation-inducing agent for the therapy of leukemia.
熊果酸（UA）是一种五环三萜类化合物，用作抗炎和抗癌剂。关于UA对分化作用的研究较少，这是首次阐明UA对人白血病细胞系U937诱导分化的潜在作用及分子机制。
采用瑞氏-吉姆萨染色、硝基蓝四氮唑还原试验和流式细胞术分析来证明UA诱导的U937细胞分化。利用蛋白质免疫印迹法和免疫荧光试验来研究可能的机制。
发现UA可诱导U937细胞分化，且在分化过程中Akt活性显著增加。此外，PI3K-Akt抑制剂LY294002可阻断UA诱导的U937细胞分化。
UA可通过激活PI3K/Akt通路诱导U937细胞分化，它可能是治疗白血病的一种潜在的诱导分化剂候选物。
