Honokiol attenuates constitutive NF-κB activation by inhibiting nuclear translocation of NF-κB/p65 in human pancreatic cancer cells.

<p>(A) MiaPaCa and Panc1cells (0.5×10⁶ cells/well) were seeded in 12-well plate. Next day at 60% confluence, cells were co-transfected with NF-κB luciferase reporter and TK-Renilla luciferase (control) plasmids. Twenty-four hours post-transfection, cells were treated with honokiol (20, 40, or 60 µM) for next 24 h. Protein lysates were made and luciferase (Fire-fly; test and Renilla, transfection efficiency control) activity assessed using a dual-luciferase assay system. Data is presented as normalized fold-change in luciferase activity (mean± SD; n = 3, * p<0.05). (B) Total, nuclear and cytoplasmic extracts were prepared from cells treated with honokiol (20, 40, or 60 µM) for 6 h and expression of NF-κB/p65, p-IκB-α (S32/36) and IκB-α was determined by Western blot analysis. β-actin was used as a loading control. Intensities of the immunoreactive bands were quantified by densitometry. Normalized densitometry values are indicated at the top of the bands indicating a decreased localization of NF-κB/p65 in nucleus with a concomitant increase in cytoplasm. In contrast, expression of p-IκB-α was decreased leading to increased levels of IκB-α. Altogether, these data clearly suggest that honokiol inhibits NF-κB activity through stabilization of IκB-α.