Issue 5, 2017

Metabolic profiling study of shikonin's cytotoxic activity in the Huh7 human hepatoma cell line

Abstract

Shikonin and its enantiomer alkannin, which are natural products, have been extensively studied in vitro and in vivo for, among others, their antitumor activity. The investigation of the molecular pathways involved in their action is of interest, since they are not yet clearly defined. Metabolic profiling in cells can provide a picture of a cell's phenotype upon intervention, assisting in the elucidation of the mechanism of action. In this study, the cytotoxic effect of shikonin on a human hepatocarcinoma cell line was studied. Huh7 cells were treated with shikonin at 5 μM, and it was found that shikonin markedly inhibited cell growth. Metabolic profiling indicated alterations in the metabolic content of the cells and the culture media upon treatment, detecting the metabolic response of the cells. This study demonstrates the potential of metabolomics to improve knowledge on the mechanisms involved in shikonin's antitumor action.

Graphical abstract: Metabolic profiling study of shikonin's cytotoxic activity in the Huh7 human hepatoma cell line

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
07 Dec 2016
Accepted
14 Feb 2017
First published
07 Mar 2017

Mol. BioSyst., 2017,13, 841-851

Metabolic profiling study of shikonin's cytotoxic activity in the Huh7 human hepatoma cell line

E. D. Spyrelli, A. V. Kyriazou, C. Virgiliou, A. Nakas, O. Deda, V. P. Papageorgiou, A. N. Assimopoulou and H. G. Gika, Mol. BioSyst., 2017, 13, 841 DOI: 10.1039/C6MB00830E

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