Emodin-induced apoptosis through p53-dependent pathway in human hepatoma cells.
Most of the commonly used cytotoxic anticancer drugs have been shown to induce apoptosis in susceptible cells. However, the signaling pathway of their apoptotic effects remains undefined. In this study, the cytotoxic effect of emodin on various human hepatoma cell lines was investigated. Results demonstrated that emodin exhibited strongly suppressing effect on HepG2/C3A, PLC/PRF/5, and SK-HEP-1 cells, with the IC(50) value of 42.5, 46.6, and 53.1 microM, respectively. Furthermore, emodin induced apoptosis in HepG2/C3A cells was clearly verified by the appearance of DNA fragmentation and sub-G(1) accumulation. Besides, HepG2/C3A cells were found to be arrested in G(2)/M phase after the cells were treated with 60 microM emodin for 48 h. Moreover, significant increase in the levels of apoptosis-related signals such as p53 (419.3 pg/ml), p21 (437.4 units/ml), Fas (6.6 units/ml), and caspase-3 (35.4 pmol/min) were observed in emodin treated HepG2/C3A cells. Taken together, emodin displays effective inhibitory effects on the growth of various human hepatoma cell lines and stimulates the expression of p53 and p21 that resulted in the cell cycle arrest of HepG2/C3A cells at G(2)/M phase. Results also suggest that emodin-induced apoptosis in HepG2/C3A cells were mediated through the activation of p53, p21, Fas/APO-1, and caspase-3. It implies that emodin could be a useful chemotherapeutical agent for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Graduate Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC.
Den-En
DE
Shieh
Yuan-Ying
YY
Chen
Ming-Hong
MH
Yen
Lien-Chai
LC
Chiang
Chun-Ching
CC
Lin
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D017209:Apoptosis; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins / Q000378:metabolism; D004642:Emodin / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism*; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D019014:fas Receptor; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases; D004642:Emodin