title: Induction of apoptosis in HepG2 cells by solanine and Bcl-2 protein.
abstract: The nightshade (Solanum nigrum Linn.) has been widely used in Chinese traditional medicine as a remedy for the treatment of digestive system cancer. The anti-tumor activity of solanine, a steroid alkaloid isolated from the nightshade has been demonstrated. To observe the effect of anti-tumor and mechanism of solanine. The MTT assay was used to evaluate the IC(50) on the three digestive system tumor cell lines. The effect on the morphology was observed with a laser confocal microscopy; the rate of apoptosis and the cell cycle were measured using flow cytometry (FCM); the expression of Bcl-2 protein was measured by Western blot. The results show that the IC(50) for HepG(2), SGC-7901, and LS-174 were 14.47, >50, and >50 microg/ml, respectively; the morphology of cells in the negative control was normal; for the treated groups, typical signs for apoptosis were found. The rate of apoptosis in HepG(2) cells induced by solanine was found to be 6.0, 14.4, 17.3, 18.9, and 32.2%, respectively. Observation of the cell cycle showed that cells in the G(2)/M phases disappeared while the number of cells in the S phase increased significantly for treated groups. Western blot showed that solanine decreased the expression of Bcl-2 protein. Therefore, the target of solanine in inducing apoptosis in HepG(2) cells seems to be mediated by the inhibition in the expression of Bcl-2 protein.
authors.affiliation: Postdoctoral Programme of the Institute of Materia Medica, The Center for Life Sciences and Environmental Sciences, Harbin University of Commerce, 138 Tongda Street Daoli District, Harbin 150076, Heilongjiang Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Y B
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zou
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004067:Digestive System Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D012992:Solanine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D032324:Solanum nigrum / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012992:Solanine