Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
Cancer Biother Radiopharm. 2010 Feb;25(1):81-8. doi: 10.1089/cbr.2009.0632.
Sedum sarmentosum Bunge, a Chinese herb, is mainly used for the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis in China, The aim of this work was to examine the cytotoxic activity of S. sarmentosum (aqueous extract, AE) against a human hepatoma cell line (HepG2) in culture.
Cell-proliferation ability was determined by the MTT method. Cell-cycle changes and earlier period apoptotic rate of HepG2 cells were detected by flow cytometry. Apoptosis of cultured HepG2 cells induced by AE were observed with a classic laddering pattern on agarose gel electrophoresis. The mRNA levels of Bcl-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were determined by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. The protein expressions of Bcl-2, VEGF, and p-STAT3 were valued by immunocytochemistry.
The application of AE to the HepG2 cell culture caused a significant, dose-dependent inhibition of cancer cell growth. It was found that the AE treatment induced apoptosis of the cancer cells, although no changes were found after AE treatment for 48 hours in the HepG2 cell cycle. The mRNA and protein expressions of Bcl-2 and VEGF and the protein level of p-STAT3 were significantly decreased after the AE treatment for 48 hours.
This study suggests that AE of S. sarmentosum has potential in preventing and inhibiting effects on hepatocellular carcinoma, which is associated with apoptosis of the cancer cells.
中国草药景天三七主要用于治疗慢性病毒性肝炎，本研究旨在检测景天三七（水提物，AE）对体外培养的人肝癌细胞系（HepG2）的细胞毒性作用。
采用 MTT 法测定细胞增殖能力，流式细胞术检测 HepG2 细胞周期变化和早期凋亡率，琼脂糖凝胶电泳观察 AE 诱导培养的 HepG2 细胞凋亡的经典梯状模式，逆转录-聚合酶链反应检测 Bcl-2 和血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）的 mRNA 水平，免疫细胞化学法评价 Bcl-2、VEGF 和 p-STAT3 的蛋白表达。
AE 应用于 HepG2 细胞培养可显著抑制癌细胞生长，呈剂量依赖性。结果发现，AE 处理虽然在 HepG2 细胞周期中未发现 48 小时后发生变化，但诱导癌细胞凋亡。AE 处理 48 小时后，Bcl-2 和 VEGF 的 mRNA 和蛋白表达以及 p-STAT3 的蛋白水平显著降低。
本研究表明，景天三七的 AE 对肝癌具有潜在的预防和抑制作用，这与癌细胞凋亡有关。
