Ursolic acid induces apoptosis of SW480 cells via p53 activation.

The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of ursolic acid, a triterpene, on induction of apoptosis in human colon adenocarcinoma cells, SW480. The cells treated with nontoxic concentration of ursolic acid showed the presence of apoptotic bodies and DNA fragmentation in a dose dependent manner. Both the expression level and transcriptional activity of p53, an apoptotic protein, were remarkably up-regulated in cells treated with ursolic acid compared to blank group. In addition, the expression levels of p-p53, acetyl-p53, NF-κB, p-p21, Bax, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9, apoptotic proteins, were increased in cells treated with ursolic acid compared to blank group. Above results demonstrate that ursolic acid induces the activation of p53, NF-κB and Bax, leading to the enhancement of p21 transcriptional activity and activation of Caspase-9 and -3, thus finally induces apoptosis of SW480 cells.