Actein inhibits the Na+-K+-ATPase and enhances the growth inhibitory effect of digitoxin on human breast cancer cells.

Linda Saxe Einbond, Masahito Shimizu, Hangbao Ma, Hsan-Au Wu, Sarah Goldsberry, Serge Sicular, Maya Panjikaran, Giannicola Genovese, Erica Cruz

Index: Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 375(4) , 608-13, (2008)

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Abstract

The Na+K+-ATPase is a known target of cardiac glycosides such as digitoxin and ouabain. We determined that the enzyme also is a target of the structurally-related triterpene glycoside actein, present in the herb black cohosh. Actein's inhibition of Na+-K+-ATPase activity was less potent than that of digitoxin, but actein potentiated digitoxin's inhibitory effect on Na+-K+-ATPase activity and MDA-MB-453 breast cancer cell growth. We observed different degrees of signal amplification for the two compounds. Actein's inhibitory effect on ATPase activity was amplified 2-fold for cell growth inhibition, whereas digitoxin's signal was amplified 20-fold. Actein induced a biphasic response in proteins downstream of ATPase: low dose and short duration of treatment upregulated NF-kappaB promoter activity, p-ERK, p-Akt and cyclin D1 protein levels, whereas higher doses and longer exposure inhibited these activities. Actein and digitoxin may be a useful synergistic combination for cancer chemoprevention and/or therapy.