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Molecular Pathway of Psoralidin-Induced Apoptosis in HepG2 Cell Line

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Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To test the role of psoralidin in human liver cancer HepG2 cells in vitro.

Methods

Cell viability was assessed by methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolum bromide assay and apoptotic cells were labeled by annexin V then sorted by flow cytometry. Protein expressions of caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, Bax, Bid, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and p53 were examined by western blot while activity of caspase-3, -8 and -9 were also determined.

Results

Psoralidin reduces cell viability greatly in a time dependent manner (64%, 40%, 21%, 12% at 2, 6, 24 and 48 h treatment with 64 μmol/L psoralidin respectively) and up-regulates activities of caspase-3, -8 and -9 in a concentration dependent manner (between 4 to 64 μmol/L). Psoralidin also increases the expression of pro-apoptosis genes Bax, Bid and p53 while decreases the expression of pro-survival genes Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, both in a concentration dependent manner between 4 and 64 μmol/L (P<0.05 at 16 and 64 μmol/L). Caspase-3 inhibitor (Ac-DEVD-CHO at concentrations between 10 to 20 μmol/L), p53 inhibitor (pifithrin-α at 5 μmol/L) and cyclosporin A can attenuate the apoptotic effect of psoralidin.

Conclusion

The cytotoxic role of psoralidin might work through both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathway.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 300193, China

    Bin Yu

  2. Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 300193, China

    An-hong Wang, Kun Zhou & Li-juan Chai

  3. Department of pharmacy, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, 731600, China

    An-hong Wang

  4. Tianjin State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 300193, China

    Kun Zhou & Li-juan Chai

  5. College of Pharmacy, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan Province, 475004, China

    Lu Liu

Authors
  1. Bin Yu
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  2. An-hong Wang
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  3. Kun Zhou
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  4. Li-juan Chai
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  5. Lu Liu
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Contributions

Yu B and Zhou K designed the experiments; Wang AH, Zhou K, Chai LJ and Liu L performed the experiments; Yu B, Wang AH and Zhou K analyzed data; Yu B and Zhou K drafted manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kun Zhou.

Additional information

Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81202991) and Tianjin City Application Basis, Cutting-edge Technology Research Program (Tianjin Municipal Science and Technology Commission, No. 13JCYBJC38500)

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Yu, B., Wang, Ah., Zhou, K. et al. Molecular Pathway of Psoralidin-Induced Apoptosis in HepG2 Cell Line. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 25, 757–762 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-016-2251-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-016-2251-5

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