Abstract
Berberine exhibits antiproliferative or cytotoxic effects against various cancers. ROS and wild-type p53 play a critical role in berberine-induced cytotoxic effects. In this study, we investigated the correlation between XAF1 and functional p53 in EBV-transformed B cells or cancerous B cells after treatment with berberine. Berberine decreased cell viability and induced apoptosis through a mitochondria-dependent pathway in EBV-transformed B cells and cancerous B cells, but not in normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Activated p53 and its downstream targets XAF1 and GADD45α interacted with PUMA, Bax, and Bim in mitochondria after treatment with berberine. Blocking phosphorylation of p38/JNK MAPK and treatment with PFT-α, a selective p53 inhibitor, effectively prevented apoptosis and the upregulation of phosphorylated p53, XAF1, and GADD45α. NAC, a ROS scavenger, also suppressed berberine-induced mitochondria disruption and the whole apoptotic process via restoration of p53-related proteins and proapoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins. Taken together, our results suggest that ROS generation might be a predisposing event in berberine-induced mitochondrial apoptosis in EBV-transformed B cells through the upregulation of XAF1 and GADD45α expression by MAPK and functional p53.
MeSH terms
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Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
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Apoptosis / drug effects
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Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
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Berberine / administration & dosage*
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Cell Cycle Proteins / biosynthesis*
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Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics
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Cell Proliferation / drug effects
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Cell Transformation, Viral / genetics
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Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
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Herpesvirus 4, Human / genetics
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Humans
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Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / biosynthesis*
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Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / genetics
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Leukocytes, Mononuclear / drug effects
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Mitochondria / drug effects
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Mitochondria / genetics
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Neoplasm Proteins / biosynthesis*
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Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
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Neoplasms / drug therapy*
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Neoplasms / genetics
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Neoplasms / pathology
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Nuclear Proteins / biosynthesis*
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Nuclear Proteins / genetics
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Phosphorylation / drug effects
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Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
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Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / biosynthesis
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Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / genetics*
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p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / biosynthesis
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p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / genetics*
Substances
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Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
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Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
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Cell Cycle Proteins
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GADD45A protein, human
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Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
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Neoplasm Proteins
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Nuclear Proteins
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Reactive Oxygen Species
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Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
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XAF1 protein, human
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Berberine
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p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases