Carcinogenesis
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Tangeretin (5,6,7,8,4'-pentamethoxyflavone) is concentrated in the peel of citrus fruits. DNA flow cytometric analysis indicated that tangeretin blocked cell cycle progression at G1 phase in colorectal carcinoma COLO 205 cells. Over a 24 h exposure to tangeretin, the degree of phosphorylation of Rb was decreased after 12 h and G1 arrest developed. ⋯ Tangeretin also increased the content of the Cdk inhibitor p21 protein and this effect correlated with the elevation in p53 levels. In addition, tangeretin also increased the level of the Cdk inhibitor p27 protein within 18 h. These results suggest that tangeretin either exerts its growth-inhibitory effects through modulation of the activities of several key G1 regulatory proteins, such as Cdk2 and Cdk4, or mediates the increase of Cdk inhibitors p21 and p27.