The effect of carotenoids obtained from saffron on histone H1 structure and H1–DNA interaction

Crocetin inhibits pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and tumor progression in a xenograft mouse model

“…It has also been shown that crocetin inhibits RNA polymerase II activity (16,17). Crocetin also interferes with histon H1 structure and H1-DNA interactions, suggesting for another possible mechanism of anticarcinogenic action (23). The exact mechanism of the protective activity of crocetin is not clear at present, but several hypotheses have been forwarded, which suggest that carotenoids can convert to vitamin A, can enhance carcinogen metabolism, can act as an antioxidant or can inhibit nucleic acid synthesis (11 -13, 31).…”

“…Inhibition of DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis was shown in three human malignant cells exposed to crocetin (11) and the mechanism of action was reported through suppression of the activity of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II (16,17). Another study also showed that crocetin reduces in vitro histone H1-DNA interaction and interfered with transcription (23). Crocetin and carotenoids in general, showed cytotoxic effects on a range of tumors and malignant cells (17,18).…”

Distinct Pro-Apoptotic Properties of Zhejiang Saffron against Human Lung Cancer Via a Caspase-8-9-3 Cascade

“…They have an inhibitory effect on the intracellular nucleic acid and protein synthesis in malignant cells as well as on protein kinase C (PKC) and pro-oncogene in INNIH/3T3 cells (Giaccio et al, 2004), which is most likely due to their antioxidant activity. Crocetin has no function in colony forming of tumor cells, but it could inhibit DNA, RNA and protein synthesis of human malignant tumor cells in a dose dependent manner (Ashrafi et al, 2005), which may be related to p53-dependent mechanisms (Li et al, 2012). In addition, crocetin could reduce interaction between hitone H1and DNA in vitro, interfere gene transcription (Magesh et al, 2006).…”

The toxicity of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) and its constituents against normal and cancer cells

“…Crocetin also inhibits RNA polymerase II at neoplastic cells (32). Similarly, it has been reported that crocetin interact with the structure of histone H1 and the H1-DNA, which suggests that anti-cancer mechanisms of crocetin may be different, and epigenetic effects can also be added to them(61). Crocetin inhibits protein and nucleic acid synthesis and then interact with some protein cascades.D.…”