Induction of differentiation in rat C6 glioma cells with Saikosaponins

Phytother Res. 2002 Mar;16(2):117-21. doi: 10.1002/ptr.752.

Abstract

The effects of saikosaponins (a, b(1), b(2), c, d), isolated from Bupleurum Radix, on the induction of differentiation in rat C6 glioma cells were studied. Saikosaponins a and d were shown to inhibit cell proliferation and alter cell morphology. In addition to cytostasis, the enzymatic activities of glutamine synthetase (GS) and 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphohydrolase (CNP) were also noticeably increased after treatment with saikosaponin a. Nevertheless, saikosaponin d only showed an increase of GS activity, no significant changes in CNP activity were found. These results suggest that saikosaponin a can induce the differentiation of C6 glioma cells into astrocytes and/or oligodendrocytes, but saikosaponin d can only induce the differentiation of C6 glioma cells into astrocytes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 2',3'-Cyclic Nucleotide 3'-Phosphodiesterase
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology*
  • Bupleurum*
  • Cell Differentiation / drug effects
  • Cell Division / drug effects
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Glioma / enzymology
  • Glioma / pathology*
  • Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase / drug effects
  • Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase / metabolism
  • Medicine, Chinese Traditional
  • Oleanolic Acid* / analogs & derivatives*
  • Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases / drug effects
  • Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases / metabolism
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Plant Roots / chemistry
  • Rats
  • Sapogenins / pharmacology*
  • Saponins*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured / drug effects

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Plant Extracts
  • Sapogenins
  • Saponins
  • Oleanolic Acid
  • Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases
  • 2',3'-Cyclic Nucleotide 3'-Phosphodiesterase
  • Cnp protein, rat
  • Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase
  • saikosaponin D