title: Matrine induces programmed cell death and regulates expression of relevant genes based on PCR array analysis in C6 glioma cells.
abstract: Matrine, one of the main components extracted from Sophora flavescens Ait, has a wide range of pharmacological effects including anti-tumor activities on a number of cancer cell lines. This study has investigated whether matrine could also display anti-tumor action on rat C6 glioma cells. Exposure of C6 cells to matrine resulted in inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner, as measured by the MTT assay and Flow cytometry. The Annexin V/PI staining further detected the apoptotic cells at both early and late phases of apoptosis. We used AO/EB staining to examine the programmed cell death of matrine-treated C6 cells, and showed that the death rate detected by AO/EB staining was higher than the apoptosis rate measured by Annexin V/PI staining, suggesting that autophagy, the Type II programmed cell death, may be involved in matrine-induced cell death, which was further confirmed by electronic microscopy. To explore the molecular mechanism, an apoptosis real-time PCR array was performed, which has demonstrated that 57 genes were at least 2-fold upregulated, and 11 genes were at least 2-fold downregulated in matrine-treated C6 cells, compared with untreated cells. However, the gene expression profiles could only partly and roughly explain molecular mechanisms of apoptosis and autophagy in matrine-treated C6 cells, thus further investigations are required to confirm the specific molecular pathways and related molecules responsible for the programmed cell death.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The First Clinical Medical School of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150012, China.
authors.forename: Shujun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jiping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Libo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Binglin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Shangha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xueying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D017302:Annexins / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*; D005910:Glioma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011807:Quinolizines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D000093842:Matrines
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D017302:Annexins; D011807:Quinolizines; D000093842:Matrines