Tubeimoside-1 upregulates p21 expression and induces apoptosis and G2/M phase cell cycle arrest in human bladder cancer T24 cells

Tubeimoside-1 (TBMS1) is a triterpenoid saponin with potent anticancer properties. In this study, for the first, we examined the anti-proliferative effects of TBMS1 in human bladder cancer T24 cells and its ability to induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Our results demonstrated that TBMS1 decreased the cell viability of bladder cancer T24 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometric analysis showed that TBMS1 significantly triggered apoptosis in T24 cells and arrested cell cycle at G2/M phase in a dose-dependent manner. Further characterization demonstrated that TBMS1-induced apoptosis is associated with dissipation in mitochondrial membrane potential (Delta Psi(m)), down-regulation of Bcl-2, and up-regulation of Bax and p21 in TBMS1-treated T24 cells. These in vitro results suggested that TBMS1 is an effective anti-bladder cancer natural compound that worth further mechanistic and therapeutic studies in human bladder cancer.