A synthetic naringenin derivative, 5-hydroxy-7,4'-diacetyloxyflavanone-N-phenyl hydrazone (N101-43), induces apoptosis through up-regulation of Fas/FasL expression and inhibition of PI3K/Akt signaling pathways in non-small-cell lung cancer cells

Naringenin, a well-known naturally occurring flavonone, demonstrates cytotoxicity in a variety of human cancer cell lines; its inhibitory effects on tumor growth have spurred interest in its therapeutic application. In this study, naringenin was derivatized to produce more effective small-molecule inhibitors of cancer cell proliferation, and the anticancer effects of its derivative, 5-hydroxy-7,4'-diacetyloxyflavanone-N-phenyl hydrazone (N101-43), in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines NCI-H460, A549, and NCI-H1299 were investigated. Naringenin itself possesses no cytotoxicity against lung cancer cells. In contrast, N101-43 inhibits proliferation of both NCI-H460 and A549 cell lines; this capacity is lost in p53-lacking NCI-H1299 cells. N101-43 induces apoptosis via sub-G1 cell-cycle arrest in NCI-H460 and via G0/G1 arrest in A549 cells. Expression of apoptosis and cell-cycle regulatory factors is altered: Cyclins A and D1 and phospho-pRb are down-regulated, but expression of CDK inhibitors such as p21, p27, and p53 is enhanced by N101-43 treatment; N101-43 also increases expression levels of the extrinsic death receptor Fas and its binding partner FasL. Furthermore, N101-43 treatment diminishes levels of cell survival factors such as PI3K and p-Akt dose-dependently, and N101-43 additionally induces cleavage of the pro-apoptotic factors caspase-3, caspase-8, and poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP). Cumulatively, these investigations show that the naringenin derivative N101-43 induces apoptosis via up-regulation of Fas/FasL expression, activation of caspase cascades, and inhibition of PI3K/Akt survival signaling pathways in NCI-H460 and A549 cells. In conclusion, these data indicate that N101-43 may have potential as an anticancer agent in NSCLC.