The flower buds of Sophora japonica L (SF), as a well-known traditional Chinese medicinal herb, have been used to treat bleeding-related disorders such as hematochezia, hemorrhoidal bleeding, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, and diarrhea. However, no specific anti-cancer effect and its molecular mechanism of SF have been described. Thus, we performed in vitro study to investigate if treatment of SF affects activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) expression and ATF3-mediated apoptosis in human colorectal cancer cells. The effects of SF on cell viability and apoptosis were measured by MTT assay and Western blot analysis against cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). ATF3 activation induced by SF was evaluated using Western blot analysis, RT-PCR and ATF3 promoter assay. SF treatment caused decrease of cell viability and increase of apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner in HCT116 and SW480 cells. Exposure of SF activated the levels of ATF3 protein and mRNA via transcriptional regulation in HCT116 and SW480 cells. Inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) 1/2 by PD98059 and p38 by SB203580 attenuated SF-induced ATF3 expression and transcriptional activation. Ectopic ATF3 overexpression accelerated SF-induced cleavage of PARP. These findings suggest that SF-mediated apoptosis may be the result of ATF3 expression through ERK1/2 and p38-mediated transcriptional activation.

Introduction
Materials and Methods
Results 
Discussion
Acknowledgments
References

• Jin Wook Lee(Department of Bioresource Sciences, Andong National University)
• Gwang Hun Park(Department of Bioresource Sciences, Andong National University)
• Hyun Ji Eo(Department of Bioresource Sciences, Andong National University)
• Hun Min Song(Department of Bioresource Sciences, Andong National University)
• Mi Kyoung Kim(Department of Bioresource Sciences, Andong National University)
• Min Ji Kwon(Department of Medicinal Plant Resources, Andong National University)
• Jin Suk Koo(Department of Bioresource Sciences, Andong National University, Department of Medicinal Plant Resources, Andong National University, Insititute of Agricultural Science and Technology, Andong National University)
• Jeong Rak Lee(Gyeongbuk Institute for Bio-industry)
• Man Hyo Lee(Gyeongbuk Institute for Bio-industry)
• Jin Boo Jeong(Department of Bioresource Sciences, Andong National University, Department of Medicinal Plant Resources, Andong National University, Insititute of Agricultural Science and Technology, Andong National University) Corresponding author