Stabilization and activation of p53 is responsible for cellular antiproliferative mechanisms such as apoptosis, growth arrest, and cell senescence [38]. This study confirmed the influence of Rg5 on the activity of Bax and p53. The data showed that the expression of DR4 and DR5 was upregulated by Rg5 in a dose-dependent manner. The tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a promising agent for cancer treatment because it selectively induces apoptosis in various cancer cells, but not in normal cells [39]. Many tumor cells are resistant to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Therefore, it is important

to develop combination therapies to overcome this resistance [40]. Rg5 did not increase TRAIL-induced apoptosis, which suggests GSK126 price that Rg5 does not increase the susceptibility of TRAIL-resistant MCF-7 cells. Therefore, Rg5 was unsuitable for combination

therapy. To examine whether Rg5 reduced cell viability via apoptosis, cells were analyzed by using annexin V-FITC/PI staining assay. Rg5 at 0μM, 25μM, and 50μM DAPT ic50 concentrations increased apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. However, at 100μM concentration of Rg5, apoptotic cells were reduced, whereas necrotic cells were increased. There are many natural substances similar to this situation. Procyanidin, a polyphenol compound with strong bioactivity and pharmacologic activity, exists widely in grape check details seeds, hawthorn, and pine bark. Procyanidin induces apoptosis and necrosis of prostate cancer cell line PC-3 in a mitochondrion-dependent manner. With extended procyanidin treatment, the apoptosis rate decreased,

whereas the necrosis rate increased. This change was associated with cytotoxic properties that were related to alterations in cell membrane properties [41] and [42]. Rg5 induces cancer cell apoptosis in a multipath mechanism, and is therefore a promising candidate for antitumor drug development. The antitumor role of Rg5 would be useful in therapeutic approaches (e.g., in combination therapy with other cancer chemotherapy drugs). In this study, we elucidated the effects of Rg5 in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-453 human breast cancer cell lines, which demonstrated that Rg5 may be an effective chemotherapeutic agent for breast cancer. However, further studies are needed to identify the precise mechanism of Rg5. There is also a need for in vivo experiments to confirm the anticancer activity of Rg5. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. “
“Alcoholic liver diseases (ALD) remain the most common cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality worldwide [1]. Chronic alcohol consumption leads to hepatic steatosis, which is the benign form of ALD and most general response to heavy alcohol drinking. ALD has a known cause, but the mechanisms by which alcohol mediates ALD pathogenesis are incompletely defined.