Cellular and molecular mechanisms activating the cell death processes by chalcones: Critical structural effects

• Chalcones anticancer effects on glioblastoma cells: mechanistic pathways studies.
• Selection of two chalcones (A: JAI-51 and B: MBL-II-58) and investigated them.
• A induced an apoptotic process caspase-dependant, increased CDK1/cyclin B ratios.
• B induced a ROS-related autophagic cell death process caspases-independent.
• A close structure of A and B induced significant differences in anti-tumour process.

Chalcones are naturally occurring compounds with diverse pharmacological activities. Chalcones derive from the common structure: 1,3-diphenylpropenone. The present study aims to better understand the mechanistic pathways triggering chalcones anticancer effects and providing evidences that minor structural difference could lead to important difference in mechanistic effect. We selected two recently investigated chalcones (A and B) and investigated them on glioblastoma cell lines. It was found that chalcone A induced an apoptotic process (type I PCD), via the activation of caspase-3, -8 and -9. Chalcone A also increased CDK1/cyclin B ratios and decreased the mitochondrial transmembrane potential (ΔΨm). Chalcone B induced an autophagic cell death process (type II PCD), ROS-related but independent of both caspases and protein synthesis. Both chalcones increased Bax/Bcl2 ratios and decreased Ki67 and CD71 antigen expressions. The present investigation reveals that despite the close structure of chalcones A and B, significant differences in mechanism of effect were found.