Daphnoretin-induced apoptosis in HeLa cells: a possible mitochondria-dependent pathway.

Daphnoretin is a bicoumarin compound isolated from a natural product, Wikstroemia indica, which has been used to treat many diseases. It has strong antiviral and anti-tumor activities. Taking the anti-tumor activity of daphnoretin as a starting point, the present study aimed to test the pro-apoptotic effect of daphnoretin and its underlying mechanism in HeLa cells.

Hydrogen sulfide as an endogenous modulator in mitochondria and mitochondria dysfunction.

Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) has historically been considered to be a toxic gas, an environmental and occupational hazard. However, with the discovery of its presence and enzymatic production through precursors of L-cysteine and homocysteine in mammalian tissues, H(2)S has recently received much interest as a physiological signaling molecule. H(2)S is a gaseous messenger molecule that has been implicated in various physiological and pathological processes in mammals, including vascular relaxation, angiogenesis, and the function of ion channels, ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), and heart injury.