Piceatannol Inhibits Akt Activation, Induces G2/M Phase Arrest and Mitochondrial Apoptosis and Augments Cisplatin Efficacy in U2OS Osteosarcoma Cells

Piceatannol (3,3',4,5'-tetrahydroxy-trans-stilbene), a naturally occurring analog of resveratrol has been shown to exhibit anticancer activity in various human cancer cells. However, the anticancer mechanism of piceatannol is not well studied. In the meantime, cisplatin (CDDP) is the first line treatment for some tumors. The present study was aimed to explore the cellular targets and anticancer mechanism of piceatannol in human osteosarcoma U2OS cells. Cell proliferation was measured using CCK-8 assay and colony forming assay. Flow cytometry was used to determine apoptosis and cell cycle profile. Western blot was used to measure the expression of various proteins. The data demonstrated that piceatannol inhibited growth and induced G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis. Further studies showed that piceatannol induces mitochondrial apoptosis as shown by Bcl-2 family proteins modulation. Finally, piceatannol significantly enhanced apoptotic efficacy of CDDP in U2OS cells. On the basis of our findings, piceatannol is a promising anticancer agent which could be developed into lead for osteosarcoma treatment as a single agent or in combination with CDDP.