Induction of flat morphology in K-ras-transformed fibroblasts by lycorine, an alkaloid isolated from the tropical plant Eucharis grandiflora
Kushida, N.; Atsumi, S.; Koyano, T.; Umezawa, K.
Drugs under Experimental and Clinical Research 23(5-6): 151-155
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0378-6501 PMID: 9515224 Document Number: 482779
In the course of screening for Ras function inhibitors from plant extracts, we isolated lycorine from a chloroform extract of Eucharis grandiflora leaves. Lycorine induced flat morphology in K-ras-NRK cells after treatment for 2-3 days, whereas its morphological effect on NRK cells was weaker. Lycorine was found to inhibit protein synthesis specifically in cultured K-ras-NRK cells. It also lowered the cellular amount of Ras in 2-3 days.