RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Maslinic Acid Induces DNA Damage and Impairs DNA Repair in Human Cervical Cancer HeLa Cells JF Anticancer Research JO Anticancer Res FD International Institute of Anticancer Research SP 6869 OP 6877 DO 10.21873/anticanres.14709 VO 40 IS 12 A1 KUNG-WEN LU A1 MEI-DUE YANG A1 SHU-FEN PENG A1 JAW-CHYUN CHEN A1 PO-YUAN CHEN A1 HUNG-YI CHEN A1 TAI-JUNG LU A1 FU-SHIN CHUEH A1 JIN-CHERNG LIEN A1 KUANG-CHI LAI A1 KUO-CHING LIU A1 YIN-YING TAI YR 2020 UL http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/40/12/6869.abstract AB Background/Aim: Maslinic acid, a natural plant-derived triterpenoid compound, exhibits pharmacological activities, including anti-cancer. In the present study, we investigated the cytotoxic effects of maslinic acid on human cervical cancer HeLa cells in vitro and further investigated the molecular mechanism of maslinic acid-induced DNA damage and repair. Materials and Methods: Cell viability was measured by flow cytometry. DNA condensation (apoptotic cell death), DNA damage, and DNA fragmentation (DNA ladder) were assayed by DAPI staining, comet assay, and agarose gel electrophoresis, respectively. The expression of DNA damage and repair proteins was assayed by western blotting. Results: Maslinic acid decreased total cell viability and induced DNA condensation, damage, and fragmentation in HeLa cells. Furthermore, maslinic acid elevated the levels of p-ATMSer1981, p-ATRSer428, p53, p-p53Ser151, p-H2A.XSer139, BRCA1 and PARP at 30-40 μM. However, it decreased the levels of DNA-PK and MGMT. Conclusion: Maslinic acid reduced the number of viable HeLa cells by inducing DNA damage and altering the expression of proteins involved in DNA damage and repair.