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Daidzein Induced Apoptosis via Down-Regulation of Bcl-2/Bax and Triggering of the Mitochondrial Pathway in BGC-823 Cells

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Abstract

Daidzein belongs to the group of isoflavones, found in a wide variety of plant-derived foods, especially in soybeans and soy-based foods. In this study, the effect of daidzein on human gastric carcinoma cells (BGC-823) and its mechanism were investigated. MTT assay was applied in the detection of the inhibitory effects of daidzein on cell proliferation. Hoechst–propidium iodide staining and flow cytometry were used to examine the apoptosis as well as the mitochondrial transmembrane potential. Western blotting was performed to detect the expression of apoptosis-associated proteins: cleaved PARP, cleaved caspase-9, cleaved caspase-3, Bcl-2, and Bax. Daidzein significantly inhibited the growth and proliferation of human gastric carcinoma cells (BGC-823) in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, it was found that an insult of daidzein to BGC-823 cells caused them to die by disruption of mitochondrial transmembrane potential, demonstrated not only by staining dead cells for phosphatidylserine but also by the up-regulation (cleaved PARP, cleaved caspase-9, cleaved caspase-3, Bax) and down-regulation (Bcl-2) of proteins associated with apoptosis and survival; whereas, the pan-caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk could partially rescue cells against damage of daidzein. Taken together, the results of this study demonstrate that daidzein significantly induces apoptosis via a mitochondrial pathway. Specifically, daidzein induced a change in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratios and activation of caspases-3 and -9 and the cleavage of PARP. Therefore, daidzein has the potential for use as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of gastric carcinoma.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Dr. Xue (Harbin veterinary research institute, CAAS) for his technical help. This work was supported by the Heilongjiang Provincial Health Department research projects (2010-024).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Emergency Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, No. 23 Youzheng Street, Nangang District, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China

    Shuyao Tang, Xuesong Dong, Kaifu Wang, Yuebin Qi, Chao Chu, Xiaochuan Zhang & Limin Hou

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China

    Qingfeng Meng

  3. Department of Medicine, Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China

    Jing Hu

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  1. Shuyao Tang
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  2. Jing Hu
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  5. Kaifu Wang
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  9. Limin Hou
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Correspondence to Limin Hou.

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Shuyao Tang, Jing Hu, and Qingfeng Meng contributed equally to this work.

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Tang, S., Hu, J., Meng, Q. et al. Daidzein Induced Apoptosis via Down-Regulation of Bcl-2/Bax and Triggering of the Mitochondrial Pathway in BGC-823 Cells. Cell Biochem Biophys 65, 197–202 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12013-012-9418-2

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