Apoptotic effect of methanol extract of Picrasma quassioides by regulating specificity protein 1 in human cervical cancer cells

In the present study, we examined the effects of methanol extracts of Picrasma quassioides (MEPQ) on apoptosis in human cervical cancer cells. The results showed that MEPQ decreased the viability and induced caspase‐dependent apoptosis in HEp‐2 cells. MEPQ decreased specificity protein 1 (Sp1) in HEp‐2 cells, whereas Sp1 mRNA was not changed. We found that MEPQ reduced Sp1 protein through proteasome‐dependent protein degradation, but not the inhibition of protein synthesis. Also, MEPQ increased the expressions of Bad and truncated Bid (t‐Bid) but did not alter other Bcl‐2 family members. The knock‐down of Sp1 by both Sp1 interfering RNA and Mithramycin A, Sp1 specific inhibitor clearly increased Bad and t‐Bid expression to decrease cell viability and induce apoptosis. In addition, MEPQ inhibited cell viability and induced apoptotic cell death through the modulation of Sp1 in KB cells. These results suggest that MEPQ may be a potential anticancer agent for human cervical cancer. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.