Cucurbitacins: elucidation of their interactions with the cytoskeleton
Cucurbitacins, a class of toxic tetracyclic triterpenoids in Cucurbitaceae, modulate many molecular targets. Here we investigated the interactions of cucurbitacin B, E and I with cytoskeletal proteins such as microtubule and actin filaments. The effects of cucurbitacin B, E and I on microtubules and...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
30 May 2017
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| In: |
PeerJ
Year: 2017, Volume: 5 |
| ISSN: | 2167-8359 |
| DOI: | 10.7717/peerj.3357 |
| Online Access: | Verlag, Volltext: http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3357 Verlag, Volltext: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5452965/ 
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| Author Notes: | Xiaojuan Wang, Mine Tanaka, Herbenya Silva Peixoto and Michael Wink |
| Summary: | Cucurbitacins, a class of toxic tetracyclic triterpenoids in Cucurbitaceae, modulate many molecular targets. Here we investigated the interactions of cucurbitacin B, E and I with cytoskeletal proteins such as microtubule and actin filaments. The effects of cucurbitacin B, E and I on microtubules and actin filaments were studied in living cells (Hela and U2OS) and in vitro using GFP markers, immunofluorescence staining and in vitro tubulin polymerization assay. Cucurbitacin B, E and I apparently affected microtubule structures in living cells and cucurbitacin E inhibited tubulin polymerization in vitro with IC50 value of 566.91 ± 113.5 µM. Cucurbitacin E did not affect the nucleation but inhibited the growth phase and steady state during microtubule assembly in vitro. In addition, cucurbitacin B, E and I all altered mitotic spindles and induced the cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase. Moreover, they all showed potent effects on actin cytoskeleton by affecting actin filaments through the depolymerization and aggregation. The interactions of cucubitacin B, E and I with microtubules and actin filaments present new insights into their modes of action. |
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| Item Description: | Gesehen am 28.07.2017 |
| Physical Description: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 2167-8359 |
| DOI: | 10.7717/peerj.3357 |