Goniothalamin inhibits cell growth, perturbs cell cycle and induces apoptosis in human osteosarcoma saos-2 cells

Goniothalamin (GTN), a naturally occurring styryl-lactone extracted from Goniothalamus sp. has been reported to possess a potent antitumor effect against several types of cancer cells. Nevertheless, the anticancer effect of GTN has not been explored in bone cancer. The present study was designed to evaluate GTN potential anticancer effects in human osteosarcoma Saos-2 cells and to determine the possible mechanisms with respect to apoptosis induction, reactive oxygen species (ROS) release, activation of executioner caspase 3/7 and effects on the cell cycle. The current data demonstrated that cell proliferation was significantly inhibited by GTN in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. This was achieved primarily via apoptosis where the flow cytometric analysis showed a significant increment of apoptotic cells, from 7.23±0.75 to 39.86±0.54 and 1.38±0.15% to 3.27±0.27% for early and late apoptotic cells, respectively. Moreover, GTN induced a significant increase in intracellular ROS levels and activated caspase 3/7. Cell cycle analysis of GTN-treated cells showed the population of G2/M phase was significantly arrested with 53.12±0.84% compared to the untreated cells with 28.64±0.73%. Taken together, these results suggest that the suppression of GTN-treated Saos-2 cells was associated with apoptosis and G2/M cell cycle arrest. Due to its antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects, GTN has a potential to be used as a chemotherapeutic agent against bone cancer.