Effects of emodin-8-O-β-D-glucoside on cell apoptosis and expression of Bcl-2/Bax in cervical cancer SKOV3 cells

Abstract

To explore the effect of emodin-8-O-β-D-glucoside (EG) on cell apoptosis and expression levels of Bcl-2 family proteins in human ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells. SKOV3 cells were cultured and divided into two groups (control group and experimental group). Cell viabilities were determined by the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) method; apoptosis and cell cycle were analyzed by flow cytometry; the changes of protein expression of cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9, Bcl-2 and Bax were detected by Western blot. From the data of MTT, the cell proliferation of human ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells was inhibited by EG (20, 40, 80 mg/L) in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Flow cytometry assays showed that EG significantly induced apoptosis in SKOV3 cells. 48 h after treated with EG (20, 40, 80 mg/L), the apoptosis rate of the experimental group were increased gradually, and they were 23.8%, 35.5%, 59.6%, respectively, which were higher than these of the control group significantly. The data of Western blot showed that EG down-regulated Bcl-2 and up-regulated cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9, Bax in a dose-dependent manner. EG can inhibit the proliferation of SKOV3 cells and promote apoptosis, and the anticancer effect of EG may be associated with the down regulation of Bcl-2 expression and up regulation of Bax expression, as well as the increase of relative activity of caspase 3 and caspase 9. EG may be a promising antitumor agent for cancer treatment.