Jiang Zhongyong, Xiong Jie
Department of Clinical Laboratory, Chengdu Military General Hospital, Chengdu Military District, Chengdu, 610083, People's Republic of China,
Cell Biochem Biophys. 2014 Nov;70(2):1075-81. doi: 10.1007/s12013-014-0025-2.
Psoralen is a major active component of Psoralea corylifolia. In the present study, we analyzed psoralen-induced changes in human hepatocarcinoma cell viability and apoptosis, and investigated the underlying mechanisms of the proapoptotic effect of the compound on SMMC-7721 cells. We measured human hepatocarcinoma cell viability by MTT assay and Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining, and evaluated the activity of caspase 3 and the expression of p53, Bax, and Bcl-2 proteins, involved in regulating cell apoptosis. Psoralen was able to inhibit the growth of SMMC-7721 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner and had a strong proapoptotic effect on these cells. We show a dose-dependent increase in caspase-3 activity, and elevated levels of p53 and Bax proteins in psoralen-treated cells, that coincided with dose-dependent decrease in Bcl-2 expression. These results suggest that psoralen induces apoptosis in cancer cells via mechanisms that involve caspase-3, p53, Bax, and Bcl-2 pathway. Our results may provide a molecular basis for the further development of natural compounds as novel anticancer agents for human hepatomas.
补骨脂素是补骨脂的主要活性成分。在本研究中，我们分析了补骨脂素诱导的人肝癌细胞活力和凋亡的变化，并研究了该化合物对SMMC - 7721细胞促凋亡作用的潜在机制。我们通过MTT法和Annexin V - FITC/PI双染法检测人肝癌细胞活力，并评估参与调节细胞凋亡的caspase 3活性以及p53、Bax和Bcl - 2蛋白的表达。补骨脂素能够以剂量和时间依赖性方式抑制SMMC - 7721细胞的生长，并对这些细胞具有强烈的促凋亡作用。我们发现补骨脂素处理的细胞中caspase - 3活性呈剂量依赖性增加，p53和Bax蛋白水平升高，同时Bcl - 2表达呈剂量依赖性降低。这些结果表明，补骨脂素通过涉及caspase - 3、p53、Bax和Bcl - 2途径的机制诱导癌细胞凋亡。我们的结果可能为进一步开发天然化合物作为治疗人类肝癌的新型抗癌药物提供分子基础。
