Chlorella vulgaris triggers apoptosis in hepatocarcinogenesis-induced rats.
Chlorella vulgaris (CV) has been reported to have antioxidant and anticancer properties. We evaluated the effect of CV on apoptotic regulator protein expression in liver cancer-induced rats. Male Wistar rats (200~250 g) were divided into eight groups: control group (normal diet), CDE group (choline deficient diet supplemented with ethionine in drinking water to induce hepatocarcinogenesis), CV groups with three different doses of CV (50, 150, and 300 mg/kg body weight), and CDE groups treated with different doses of CV (50, 150, and 300 mg/kg body weight). Rats were sacrificed at various weeks and liver tissues were embedded in paraffin blocks for immunohistochemistry studies. CV, at increasing doses, decreased the expression of anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl-2, but increased the expression of pro-apoptotic protein, caspase 8, in CDE rats, which was correlated with decreased hepatocytes proliferation and increased apoptosis as determined by bromodeoxy-uridine (BrdU) labeling and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay, respectively. Our study shows that CV has definite chemopreventive effect by inducing apoptosis via decreasing the expression of Bcl-2 and increasing the expression of caspase 8 in hepatocarcinogenesis-induced rats.
Mohd Azamai
Emey Suhana
ES
Department of Biochemistry, UKM Medical Center, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.
Sulaiman
Suhaniza
S
Mohd Habib
Shafina Hanim
SH
Looi
Mee Lee
ML
Das
Srijit
S
Abdul Hamid
Nor Aini
NA
Wan Ngah
Wan Zurinah
WZ
Mohd Yusof
Yasmin Anum
YA
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D048408:Chlorella vulgaris / Q000737:chemistry*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C518724:CML-1 plant extract; D010936:Plant Extracts