Ginsenoside Rh4 induces apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells
10.3969/j.issn.1000-4718.2017.08.009
- VernacularTitle:人参皂苷Rh4诱导肝癌细胞HepG2的凋亡及分子机制
- Author:
Zi WANG
;
Xiaoyan Lü
;
Junnan HU
;
Yan ZHAO
;
Enbo CAI
;
Shuangli LIU
;
Wei LI
;
Lianxue ZHANG
- Keywords:
Ginsenoside Rh4;
Hepatocellular carcinoma;
HepG2 cells;
Apoptosis
- From:
Chinese Journal of Pathophysiology
2017;33(8):1399-1404
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
AIM: To investigate the apoptosis and molecular mechanism of human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells induced by ginsenoside Rh4.METHODS: Human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells were treated with ginsenoside Rh4 at doses of 10, 20 and 40 μmol/L, and the inhibitory effect of ginsenoside Rh4 on HepG2 cell viability was measured by MTT assay.The apoptotic rate of HepG2 cells was analyzed by flow cytometry.The morphological changes of the HepG2 cells were observed by Hoechst 33258 and TUNEL staining.The expression of apoptosis-related proteins Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3 and caspase-9 was determined by Western blot.RESULTS: Ginsenoside Rh4 promoted apoptosis of HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner.TUNEL and Hoechst 33258 staining showed that the cells appeared obvious shrinking, swelling and rupture after treated with ginsenoside Rh4 for 24 h.The results of Western blot showed that with the increasing concentrations of ginsenoside Rh4, the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins Bax, cleaved caspase-3 and caspase-9 increased, while anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 decreased gradually.CONCLUSION: Ginsenoside Rh4 induces apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells, and the main mechanism may be related to down-regulation of Bcl-2 and up-regulation of Bax, cleaved caspase-3, and caspase-9.
