title: [Effects of snakegourd root polysaccharide on apoptosis of MCF-7 cells].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of snakegourd root polysaccharide on apoptosis of human breast cancer cells (MCF-7 cells).
  
  
  METHODS
  Colorimetric MTT assay was used to measure the inhibition of snakegourd root polysaccharide on MCF-7 cells. The morphological changes of MCF-7 cells were observed by fluorescence microscope after DAPI staining and transmission electron microscope. The apoptosis of MCF-7 cells was examined by DNA agarose gel electrophoresis analysis of DNA fragmentation amd flow cytometry. The activity of Caspase-3 and Caspase-8 was detected by colorimetric assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Polysaccharide of snakegourd root significantly inhibited MCF-7 cells in a dose-and time-dependent manner. The nuclear condensation and marginalization were observed by DAPI staining and transmission electron microscope. The characteristic ladder of apoptosis in DNA electrophoresis was detected in MCF-7 cells treated with 10.0 μmol/L polysaccharide of snakegourd root at d 2. The activities of Caspase-3 and Caspase-8 were increased in a time-dependent manner. The rates of apoptosis in MCF-7 cells were (5.2 ±1.3)%, (13.1 ±4.7)%, (27.6 ±6.8)% and (43.8 ±9.8)% treated with 1.0,5.0,10.0 and 20.0 μmol/L snakegourd root polysaccharide at d 2,respectively. The maximal activities of intracellular Caspase-3 and Caspase-8 were (2.32 ±0.12)U/μg and (1.92 ±0.11)U/μg at d 2 and d 1, respectively when MCF-7 cells were treated with 10.0 μmol/L.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The polysaccharide of snakegourd root can induce the apoptosis of MCF-7 cells,which is associated with the activation of intracellular Caspase-3 and Caspase-8.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Medical School of Jiaxing College, Jiaxing, China.
authors.forename: Li-li
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Shui-ling
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Meng-mei
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D053181:Caspase 8 / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029778:Trichosanthes / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D011134:Polysaccharides; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; C505530:CASP8 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8