Magnolol inhibits human glioblastoma cell proliferation through upregulation of p21/Cip1

Previously, we demonstrated that magnolol isolated from the bark of Magnolia officinalis has anticancer activity in colon, hepatoma, and leukemia cell lines. In this study, we show that magnolol concentration dependently (0-40 μM) decreased the cell number in a cultured human glioblastoma cancer cell line (U373) and arrested the cells at the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle. Magnolol treatment decreased the protein levels of cyclins A and D1 and increased p21/Cip1, but not cyclins B and D3, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)2, CDK4, CDC25C, Weel, p27/Kip1, and p53. The CDK2p21/Cip1 complex was increased, and the CDK2 kinase activity was decreased in the magnololtreated U373. Pretreatment of U373 with p21/Cip1 specific antisense oligodeoxynucleotide prevented the magnolol-induced increase of p21/Cip1 protein levels and the decrease of DNA synthesis. Magnolol at a concentration of 100μM induced DNA fragmentation in U373. Our findings suggest the potential applications of magnolol in the treatment of human brain cancers.