Background
: The insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling pathway has spotlighted as a mechanism to elucidate aging associated with autophagy in recent years. Therefore, we have tried to screen an effective compound capable of inducing autophagy to delay aging process.
Purpose
: The aim of this study is to investigate whether pachymic acid, a main compound inPoria cocos, induces autophagy in the aged cells.
Methods
: The aging of young cells was induced by treatment with IGF-1 at 50 ng/mL three times every two days. The effect of pachymic acid on cell viability was evaluated in human lung fibroblasts, WI-38 cells, using MTT assay. The induction of autophagy was detected using autophagy detection kit. The expression of proteins related to autophagy and IGF-1 signaling pathway was examined by western blot analysis and immunofluorescence assay.
Results
: In this study, pachymic acid showed cytotoxic effect in a dose dependent manner and remarkably induced autophagy at the same time. Moreover, pachymic acid increased the expression of proteins related to autophagy such as LC3-II and Beclin1 and decreased the levels of mTor phosphorylation and p70S6K in the aged cells. In particular, pachymic acid increased the expression of p-PI3K, p-FoxO and Catalase. In addition, pachymic acid remarkably increased the expression of IGFBP-3.
Conclusion
: Above results suggest that pachymic acid could induce autophagy related to IGF-1 signaling pathway in the aged cells.
... Co. (St. Louis, MO, USA). The purity of
pachymic acid purchased from Chengdu
Biopurify Phytochemicals Ltd. (Chengdu, Sichuan, CHN) is above 98% and was dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide for further study. Cell culture. The ...
