title: The effect of beta-elemene on alpha-tubulin polymerization in human hepatoma HepG2 cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the impact of beta-elemene injection on the growth and alpha-tubule of human hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cell proliferation was assessed by MTT assay. Cell cycle distribution was detected by flow cytometry (FCM). The mRNA expression of alpha-tubulin was measured by RT-PCR. Western blot analysis was used to determine protein expression of alpha-tubulin and the polymerization of tubulin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Beta-elemene injection inhibited HepG2 cells proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner; FCM analysis indicated beta-elemene injection induced cell cycle arrested at S phase. RT-PCR and western-blot analysis showed that beta-elemene injection down-regulated alpha-tublin at both mRNA and protein levels, presenting a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, beta-elemene injection reduced the polymerization of microtubules in a dose-dependent manner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Beta-elemene injection can inhibit the proliferation of hepatoma HepG2 cells and induce cell apoptosis, the mechanism might be partly related to the down-regulation of alpha-tubulin and inhibition of microtubular polymerization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, China;
authors.forename: Yuqiu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, China;
authors.forename: Jielin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116027, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, China;
authors.forename: Xiaonan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cui
keywords: Alpha-tubulin; beta-elemene injection; hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); microtubules; tubulin polymerization