Effect of Glycyrrhizin on Immune Function and Apoptosis of U14 Cervical Cancer Mice

Abstract

To investigate the effect of glycyrrhizin on regulating immune function and inducing apoptosis in U14 cervical cancer mice, and U14 cervical cancer mice were randomly divided into model group, low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose glycyrrhizin groups (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg), cyclophosphamide group (25 mg·kg-1) and normal group with 10 mice in each group. Intragastric administration was performed once a day for 21 days. Tumor volume (maximum diameter) and tumor mass were measured, thymus index and spleen index were calculated, apoptosis index was detected by TUNEL assay, mRNA expressions of Caspase-3, Bax and Bcl-2 were detected by real-time quantitative PCR, and protein expressions of p-PI3K and p-Akt were detected by Western blot. The results showed that the tumor volume (maximum diameter) and tumor weight in low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose glycyrrhizin groups were significantly lower than those in the model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01) after 21 d of administration, and the tumor inhibition rates were 15.68%, 25.41% and 38.38%, respectively. Compared with the model group, thymus index, spleen index, IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α contents, apoptosis index, Caspase-3 and Bax mRNA expressions in low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose glycyrrhizin groups were increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while Bcl-2 mRNA and p-PI3K and p-AKT protein expressions were decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The above results indicate that glycyrrhizin can inhibit tumor growth in U14 cervical cancer mice, which is related to improving immune function and inducing apoptosis.