Human Hepatoma Cell Line BEL-7402 Research Articles

Norcantharidin-Encapsulated C60-Modified Nanomicelles: A Potential Approach to Mitigate Cytotoxicity in Renal Cells and Simultaneously Enhance Anti-Tumor Activity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.

The objective of this study was to examine the preparation process of DSPE-PEG-C60/NCTD micelles and assess the impact of fullerenol (C60)-modified micelles on the nephrotoxicity and antitumor activity of NCTD. The micelles containing NCTD were prepared using the ultrasonic method and subsequently optimized and characterized. The cytotoxicity of micelles loaded with NCTD was assessed using the CCK-8 method on human hepatoma cell lines HepG2 and BEL-7402, as well as normal cell lines HK-2 and L02. Acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) double staining and flow cytometry were employed to assess the impact of NCTD-loaded micelles on the apoptosis of the HK-2 cells and the HepG2 cells. Additionally, JC-1 fluorescence was utilized to quantify the alterations in mitochondrial membrane potential. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) following micelle treatment was determined through 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFDA) staining. The particle size distribution of the DSPE-PEG-C60/NCTD micelles was determined to be 91.57 nm (PDI = 0.231). The zeta potential of the micelles was found to be -13.8 mV. The encapsulation efficiency was measured to be 91.9%. The in vitro release behavior of the micelles followed the Higuchi equation. Cellular experiments demonstrated a notable decrease in the toxicity of the C60-modified micelles against the HK-2 cells, accompanied by an augmented inhibitory effect on cancer cells. Compared to the free NCTD group, the DSPE-PEG-C60 micelles exhibited a decreased apoptosis rate (12%) for the HK-2 cell line, lower than the apoptosis rate observed in the NCTD group (36%) at an NCTD concentration of 75 μM. The rate of apoptosis in the HepG2 cells exhibited a significant increase (49%), surpassing the apoptosis rate observed in the NCTD group (24%) at a concentration of 150 μM NCTD. The HK-2 cells exhibited a reduction in intracellular ROS and an increase in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔψM) upon exposure to C60-modified micelles compared to the NCTD group. The DSPE-PEG-C60/NCTD micelles, as prepared in this study, demonstrated the ability to decrease cytotoxicity and ROS levels in normal renal cells (HK-2) in vitro. Additionally, these micelles showed an enhanced antitumor activity against human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2, BEL-7402).

A new cytotoxic isoflavane from Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum

Fourteen compounds were isolated from the ethanol extract of Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum by various chromatographic techniques, including column chromatographies on silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and semi-preparative HPLC. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic techniques as S-3'-hydroxy-7,2',4'-trimethoxyisoxane(1), 2-(2',4'-dimethoxyphenyl)-6-hydroxybenzofuran(2), 2-(2'-hydroxy-4'-methoxyphenyl)-6-methoxybenzofuran(3), 7,2',4'-trimethoxydihydroisoflavone(4), sativanone(5), 3,9-dimethoxy-6H-benzofuro[3,2-c]chromen-6-one(6),(6 aS,11 aS)-homopterocarpin(7),(6 aS,11 aS)-8-hydroxy-3,9-dimethoxypterocarpan(8),(6 aS,11 aS)-3,8,9-trimethoxypterocarpan(9), isodalbergin(10), isoliquiritigenin(11), butein(12), butin(13) and 3,7,4'-trihydroxyflavone(14). Among them, compound 1 was a new compound, while 2 and 3 were new natural products, 6, 8, 9 and 14 were isolated for the first time from Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum. Compounds 1-14 were tested for their cytotoxic activity against human hepatoma cell line BEL-7402, human gastric cancer cell line SCG-7901, human lung cancer cell line A549, human chronic myeloid leukemia cell line K562 and HeLa human cervical cancer cellline by MTT method. Compound 1 exhibited significant cytotoxicity with IC_(50) values ranging from 2.85 to 11.62 μg·mL~(-1). In addition, 2, 11 and 12 showed weak cytotoxic activities.

Amide-type local anesthetics may suppress tumor cell proliferation and sensitize Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells to Cisplatin via upregulation of RASSF1A expression and demethylation.

Background: It has been reported that local anesthetics are toxic to various types of cells. Furthermore, several local anesthetics have been confirmed to exert demethylation effects and regulate the proliferation of human cancer cells. Our previous findings suggest that lidocaine may exert potential antitumor activity and enhance the sensitivity of cisplatin to hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo. A recent study proved that lidocaine sensitizes breast cancer cells to cisplatin via upregulation of RASSF1A, a promotor of tumor suppressive gene (TSG) demethylation. We sought to determine whether amide-type local anesthetics (lidocaine, ropivacaine and bupivacaine) exert growth-inhibitory effects on human hepatoma cells and to determine whether amide-type local anesthetics sensitize human hepatoma cells to cisplatin-mediated cytotoxicity via upregulation of RASSF1A expression.Methods: Human hepatoma cell lines HepG2 and BEL-7402 were incubated with lidocaine, ropivacaine and bupivacaine. The viability of local anesthetic-treated cells with or without cisplatin was investigated. Further, we evaluated RASSF1A expression after treatment of HepG2 and BEL-7402 cells with three local anesthetics and determined the influence of RASSF1A expression on the toxicity of cisplatin to these cells.Results: The viability of HepG2 and BEL-7402 cells was significantly decreased by treatment with amide-type local anesthetics (lidocaine, ropivacaine and bupivacaine). In these cells, the combination treatment with cisplatin and local anesthetics exhibited a stronger reduction in viability. Lidocaine, ropivacaine and bupivacaine promoted a significant increase in RASSF1A expression and a decrease in RASSF1A methylation. The combined treatment with both local anesthetics and cisplatin resulted in a significantly lower level of HepG2 and BEL-7402 cell viability than that with singular local anesthetics or cisplatin treatment. Moreover, local anesthetics enhanced the cytotoxicity of cisplatin against HepG2 and BEL-7402 cells, accompanied by an increase in RASSF1A expression.Conclusions: These data indicated that amide-type local anesthetics (lidocaine, ropivacaine and bupivacaine) have growth-inhibitory and demethylation effects in human hepatoma cells. We also found that these amide local anesthetics may enhance the cytotoxicity of cisplatin in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells possibly via upregulation of RASSF1A expression and demethylation.

Curdepsidone A, a Depsidone from the Marine-Derived Endophytic Fungus Curvularia sp. IFB-Z10

A new depsidone, curdepsidone A (1), was isolated form the culture extracts of curvularia sp. IFB-Z10, a white croaker associated fungus. The structure of 1 was elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses (HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR). Compound 1 showed significant cytotoxicity against human hepatoma cell lines BEL7402 and BEL7402/5- FU with IC50 values of 9.85 μM and 2.46 μM, respectively.

Beneficial Phytochemicals with Anti-Tumor Potential Revealed through Metabolic Profiling of New Red Pigmented Lettuces (Lactuca sativa L.).

The present study aimed to compare polyphenols among red lettuce cultivars and identify suitable cultivars for the development and utilization of healthy vegetables. Polyphenols, mineral elements, and antioxidant activity were analyzed in the leaves of six red pigmented lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) cultivars; thereafter, we assessed the anti-tumor effects of cultivar B-2, which displayed the highest antioxidant activity. Quadrupole–Orbitrap mass spectrometry analysis revealed four classes of polyphenols in these cultivars. The composition and contents of these metabolites varied significantly among cultivars and primarily depended on leaf color. The B-2 cultivar had the highest antioxidant potential than others because it contained the highest levels of polyphenols, especially anthocyanin, flavone, and phenolic acid; furthermore, this cultivar displayed anti-tumor effects against the human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549, human hepatoma cell line Bel7402, human cancer colorectal adenoma cell line HCT-8, and HT-29 human colon cancer cell line. Hence, the new red-leaf lettuce cultivar B-2 has a distinct metabolite profile, with high potential for development and utilization of natural phytochemical and mineral resources in lettuces and can be used as a nutrient-dense food product.

Urotensin-II-Mediated Reactive Oxygen Species Generation via NADPH Oxidase Pathway Contributes to Hepatic Oval Cell Proliferation.

Urotensin II (UII), a somatostatin-like cyclic peptide, is involved in tumor progression due to its mitogenic effect. Our previous study demonstrated that UII and its receptor UT were up-regulated in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and exogenous UII promoted proliferation of human hepatoma cell line BEL-7402. Hepatic progenitor cell (HPCs) are considered to be one of the origins of liver cancer cells, but their relationship with UII remains unclear. In this work, we aimed to investigate the effect of UII on ROS generation in HPCs and the mechanisms of UII-induced ROS in promoting cell proliferation. Human HCC samples were used to examine ROS level and expression of NADPH oxidase. Hepatic oval cell line WB-F344 was utilized to investigate the underlying mechanisms. ROS level was detected by dihydroethidium (DHE) or 2’, 7’-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA) fluorescent probe. For HCC samples, ROS level and expression of NADPH oxidase were significantly up-regulated. In vitro, UII also increased ROS generation and expression of NADPH oxidase in WB-F344 cells. NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin pretreatment partially abolished UII-increased phosphorylation of PI3K/Akt and ERK, expression of cyclin E/cyclin-dependent kinase 2. Cell cycle was then analyzed by flow cytometry and UII-elevated S phase proportion was inhibited by apocynin pretreatment. Finally, bromodeoxyuridine (Brdu) incorporation assay showed that apocynin partially abolished UII induced cell proliferation. In conclusion, this study indicates that UII-increased ROS production via the NADPH oxidase pathway is partially associated with activation of the PI3K/Akt and ERK cascades, accelerates G1/S transition, and contributes to cell proliferation. These results showed that UII plays an important role in growth of HPCs, which provides novel evidence for the involvement of HPCs in the formation and pathogenesis of HCC.

A New Ligustrazine Derivative-Selective Cytotoxicity by Suppression of NF-κB/p65 and COX-2 Expression on Human Hepatoma Cells. Part 3.

A new anticancer ligustrazine derivative, 3β-hydroxyolea-12-en-28-oic acid-3,5,6-trimethylpyrazin-2-methylester (T-OA, C38H58O3N2), was previously reported. It was synthesized via conjugating hepatoprotective and anticancer ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine. We found that T-OA exerted its anticancer activity by preventing the expression of nuclear transcription factor NF-κB/p65 and COX-2 in S180 mice. However, the selective cytotoxicity of T-OA on various kinds of cell lines has not been studied sufficiently. In the present study, compared with Cisplatin, T-OA was more toxic to human hepatoma cell line Bel-7402 (IC50 = 6.36 ± 1.56 µM) than other three cancer cell lines (HeLa, HT-29, BGC-823), and no toxicity was observed toward Madin–Darby canine kidney cell line MDCK (IC50 > 150 µM). The morphological changes of Bel-7402 cells demonstrated that T-OA had an apoptosis-inducing effect which had been substantiated using 4ʹ,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, acridine orange (AO)/ethidium bromide (EB) staining, flow cytometry and mitochondrial membrane potential assay. Combining the immumohistochemical staining, we found T-OA could prevent the expression of NF-κB/p65 and COX-2 in Bel-7402 cells. Both of the proteins have been known to play roles in apoptosis and are mainly located in the nuclei. Moreover subcellular localization was performed to reveal that T-OA exerts in nuclei of Bel-7402 cells. The result was in accordance with the effects of down-regulating the expression of NF-κB/p65 and COX-2.

Novel vanadyl complexes of alginate saccharides: Synthesis, characterization, and biological activities

Vanadium compounds present many physiological functions. However, vanadium(IV) and (V) salts are difficult for gastrointestinal absorption and have strong side effects. Therefore organic oxovanadium compounds gain more attention. Vanadyl alginate polysaccharides (VAPS) and vanadyl alginate oligosaccharides (VAOS) were obtained from aqueous solutions of VOSO4 at pH 12. They were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The antioxidant activity of oxovanadium(IV) complexes was investigated in hydroxyl and DPPH radical scavenging systems in vitro. The results reveal that activities of VAPS and VAOS in the two systems were stronger than those of alginate polysaccharides (APS) and alginate oligosaccharides (AOS), respectively. In addition, VAPS and VAOS promoted significantly the antiproliferation of ligands of human hepatoma cell line BEL-7402. Oxovanadium(IV) complexes were potent inhibitors of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) with IC50 values in the range of 6.4-18.7μg/mL, indicated in biochemical assays. In addition, Vanadyl-alginate had no significant side effects on proliferation and viability of HL-7702 hepatic cells. In the future, they can be added to medicines and ease the growing threat that cancer and diabetes mellitus cause to human health.

The anti-apoptotic effect of cytoplasmic alpha-fetoprotein in hepatoma cells induced by all-trans retinoic acid involves activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

To explore the effect of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) on transduction of the PI3K/ AKT signal in hepatocellular carcinoma cells and the role played by AFP in resistance to cytotoxicity of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA). The effects of ATRA of human liver cancer cells was assessed using the BEL-7402 cell line with the MTT assay (to evaluate proliferation), microscopy (to evaluate morphology), flow cytometry (to evaluate apoptosis), laser confocal microscopy and coimmunoprecipitation (co-IP; to evaluate co-localization and interaction of AFP with PTEN), Western blotting (to evaluate expression of phosphorylated-protein kinase B (pAKT) and Src, and RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knockdown of AFP. Finally, application of the PI3K-specific inhibitor Ly294002 was used to monitor the influence of AFP in transduction of the PI3K signal pathway. The human hepatoma cell line BEL-7402 were resistant to ATRA cytotoxicity. PTEN and AFP co-localized in the cytoplasm, and co-IP indicated that AFP interacts with PTEN in BEL-7402 cells.RNAi knockdown of AFP expression led to reduced growth of BEL-7402 cells.BEL-7402 cells transfected with AFP-short interfering (si)RNA vectors showed enhanced sensitivity to ATRA and reduced expression of pAKT(Ser473) and Src; Ly294002 reduced the role of AFP in stimulating expression of pAKT(Ser473) and Src. AFP can activate transduction of the PI3K/AKT signal, and expression of AFP in hepatoma cells is a pivotal event for resisting ATRA-induced apoptosis.

Effects of hepatitis C virus core protein on activity of double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase

To explore the effects of hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein on the activity of double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR). The human hepatoma cell line BEL-7402 was transfected with the HCV core gene-containing eukaryotic expression vector pCMH6K-Core (at various concentrations), or empty vector, or no vector; a group of cells was co-transfected with the luciferase reporter plasmid pGL3-promoter. The cells were treated with interferon (IFN) a-2b to induce the expression and activation of endogenous PKR, or left untreated to serve as controls. The effect of core protein on PKR phosphorylation was detected by western blotting. Luciferase activity was detected to reflect effects of the core protein on the synthesis of cellular proteins. The t-test and F test were used for statistical analyses. In the case of IFNa stimulation, PKR phosphorylation levels were significantly lower in the HCV core protein expressing cells than in the cells transfected with empty plasmid or with no vector, but the total PKR expression level was not significantly different among these three groups of cells. Cells co-transfected with luciferase plasmid and the core protein expressing vector showed significantly higher levels of luciferase expression than the cells co-transfected with the empty vector. Moreover, the luciferase activity and core protein expression levels increased in a dose-dependent manner, with the luciferase activity of the cells treated with 0.5 mug, 1.0 mug and 1.5 mug pCMH6K-Core being 1.941 ± 0.199 times, 2.868 ± 0.275 times and 3.839 ± 0.338 times higher than that of the empty vector group (all P < 0.05). In the human hepatoma cell line BEL-7402, the HCV core protein can inhibit the activity of endogenous PKR, thereby promoting cell protein synthesis.

Natural static magnetic field-induced apoptosis in liver cancer cell

Purpose: To observe the apoptotic effects of NSMF on human hepatoma cells and to investigate the mechanisms. Materials and methods: Human hepatoma cell line Bel-7402 and Hep G-2 were treated by 0.2 T rotary NSMF (30 min/d) with 250 Hz, 400 Hz and 500 Hz for 3 d and 6 d, respectively. Apoptosis was analyzed with flow cytometry. Cell proliferation was measured with XTT assay. Expression of Bcl-2, caspase3/8/9 was analyzed with ELISA. Results: After 6 d treatment, significant apoptosis was induced by 400 Hz in Bel-7402 cells. Slight cell apoptosis was observed at 250 Hz, while Hep G-2 cells exhibited slight apoptosis at 250 Hz and 400 Hz. After 3 d treatment, no apoptosis exhibited in both cell types. Compared with control group, expression of Bcl-2 and Caspase 8 in treated Bel-7402 cells were significantly reduced (p < 0.01), while Caspase 3 and Caspase 9 were significantly upregulated (p < 0.01). Conclusions: NSMF upregulates caspase 9 and downregulates Bel-2 expression, which results in higher level of active caspase 3 to trigger apoptosis in cells. Different cell types require different NSMF factors like rotary frequency and treatment time to induce apoptosis.

Bioactive pregnane steroids from a South China Sea gorgonian Carijoa sp.

A new pregnane steroid, 1, and three known analogues 2–4, have been isolated from a gorgonian Carijoa sp. collected from the South China Sea. The planar structure and relative configuration of 1 were elucidated from comprehensive spectroscopic data. Its absolute configuration was determined by application of the modified Mosher method. Compounds 1, 3 and 4 exhibited cytotoxicity against the human hepatoma cell line Bel-7402, with IC50 values of 9.33, 11.02 and 18.68 µM, respectively. Additionally, compound 1 exhibited promising antibacterial activity against Pseudomona puido, with a MIC value of 31 nM, which is approximately 5-fold more potent than ciprofloxacin (MIC = 156 nM).

The anti-tumor effect and biological activities of the extract JMM6 from the stem-barks of the Chinese Juglans Mandshurica maxim on human hepatoma cell line bel-7402

Juglans mandshurica Maxim is a traditional herbal medicines in China, and its anti-tumor bioactivities are of research interest. Bioassay-guided fractionation method was employed to isolate anti-tumor compounds from the stem barks of the Juglans mandshurica Maxim. The anti-tumor effect and biological activities of the extracted compound JMM6 were studied in BEL-7402 cells by MTT, Cell cycle analysis, Hoechst 33342 staining, Annexin V-FITC/PI assay and Detection of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). After treatment with the JMM6, the growth of BEL-7402 cells was inhibited and cells displayed typical morphological apoptotic characteristics. Further investigations revealed that treatment with JMM6 mainly caused G2/M cell cycle arrest and induced apoptosis in BEL-7402 cells. To evaluate the alteration of mitochondria in JMM6 induced apoptosis. The data showed that JMM6 decreased significantly the ΔΨm, causing the depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane. Our results show that the JMM6 will have a potential advantage of anti-tumor, less harmful to normal cells. This paper not only summarized the JMM6 pick-up technology from Juglans mandshurica Maxim and biological characteristic, but also may provide further evidence to exploit the potential medicine compounds from the stem-barks of the Chinese Juglans mandshurica Maxim.

Parasporal Crystal Proteins of &lt;i&gt;Bacillus thuringiensis&lt;/i&gt; ly36 Strain Demonstrating Bacteriacidal and Cancer Cell-Killing Activities

The growth of Bacillus subtilis was highly inhibited by crystal proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis ly36 strain with or without the treatment of proteinase K. And human hepatoma cell lines SMMC-7721 and Bel-7402 were killed by the proteinase K-treated crystal proteins of B. thuringiensis ly36 strain.

Anti-tumor effect of germacrone on human hepatoma cell lines through inducing G2/M cell cycle arrest and promoting apoptosis

Germacrone is one of the main bioactive components in the traditional Chinese medicine Rhizoma curcuma. In this study, the anti-proliferative effect of germacrone on the human hepatoma cell lines and the molecular mechanism underlying the cytotoxicity of germacrone were investigated. Treatment of human hepatoma cell lines HepG2 and Bel7402 with germacrone resulted in cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner as measured by MTT assay, flow cytometric and fluorescent microscopy analysis, while much lower effect on normal human liver cell L02 was observed. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that germacrone induced G2/M arrest in the cell cycle progression that was associated with an obvious decrease in the protein expression of cyclin B1 and its activating partner CDK1 with concomitant inductions of p21. Hoechst 33258 and Annexin V/PI staining results showed that the total cell number in apoptosis associated with a dose-dependent up-regulation of Bax and down-regulation of Bcl-2/Bcl-xl was increased. In the meantime, the up-regulation of p53 and reactive oxygen species increase were observed, which suggested that germacrone might be a new potent chemopreventive drug candidate for liver cancer via regulating the expression of proteins related to G2/M cell cycle and apoptosis, and p53 and oxidative damage may play important roles in the inhibition of human hepatoma cells growth by germacrone.

Mechanism of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles inducing apoptosis of human hepatoma cell line BEL7402

Objective To investigate the mechanism of apoptosis induction bu nano hydroxyapatite nano-particles (HAP).Methods Western blotting was used to detect the expression of anti-oncogene p53 and that of oncogene c-myc.The catalytic activity of the Caspases was measured by using a colofimetric assay.Telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) combined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the inhibitory rate of telomerase activity.Results The treatment of BEL-7402cells with nano-HAP decreased the expression of p53 protein,but increased the expression of c-myc protein.The Caspase-3 activity was increased during nano-HAP-induced apoptosis,while the telomerase activity was decreased by nano-HAP in a dose- and time-dependent manner.With the progressive increases in concentrations of nano-HAP (0,50,75,100,150,200 mg/L),the telomerase activity was down-regulated ( 1.94,1.26,1.21,1.14,0.86,0.59,respectively,all P ＜ 0.O1 ).At the concentration of 50 mg/L nano-HAP at different time points (0,12,24,36,48 h),the telomerase activity was down-regulated ( 1.94,1.73,1.57,1.43,1.26,respectively,all P ＜0.O1 ).Conclusion These results suggested that nano-HAP-induced apoptosis was mediated by altering the expression of anti-oncogene p53 and oncogene cmyc,activating Caspase-3 and inhibiting activity of telomerase. Key words: Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles; Carcinoma, hepatocellular; p53; Caspase-3; Telomerase

In vitro antitumour activity of stearic acid-g-chitosan oligosaccharide polymeric micelles loading podophyllotoxin

Development of successful formulations for poorly water-soluble drugs remains a longstanding critical and challenging issue in cancer therapy. The stearic acid-g-chitosan oligosaccharide (CSO-SA) micelles have been presented as potential candidates for intracellular antitumour agent delivery carrier. Herein, podophyllotoxin (PPT) loaded CSO-SA micelles (CSO-SA/PPT) were prepared by a dialysis method. The drug encapsulation efficiency could reach a higher level, the micellar size and the zeta potential increased with increasing charged amounts of drug. The cumulative release percentage of PPT drug from micelles enhanced with decreasing PPT content in the micelles. The cytotoxicities of CSO-SA/PPT micelles against human breast carcinoma (MCF-7) cells, human lung cancer cells (A549) and human hepatoma cell line (Bel-7402) were higher than that of free PPT formulation. The higher cytotoxicities were due to the faster PPT transport into tumour cells mediated by CSO-SA micelles. Overall, CSO-SA micelles might be a promising carrier for PPT delivery in cancer therapy.

Biological effects based quality control of a traditional Chinese medicine

The main objective of this paper is to establish a quality control method based on lipid-lowering and anti-oxidation effect of Jiang-Zhi-Ning (JZN). Biological effects based quality standard of its active components was investigated. Two kinds of cells: oxidized low-density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL) injured human umbilicalvein endothelial cell (HUVEC) and human hepatoma cell line Bel-7402 were employed to investigate the biological effects of the standard product of JZN and 5 batches of its test samples. Calculation of the biological effect ratio (BER) = effect of test products of JZN / effect of active constituents of JZN×100%. By evaluation of the effect indexes of lipid-lowering and antioxidant activities of JZN, and by the computation of the biological effect ratio, the biological effect of the active constituents of JZN was confirmed and 11 indexes were assessed as standard biological effect indexes. Moreover, the biological effect ratio of the active constituents of JZN in low, middle and high concentrations of five test samples all ranges from 80 to 120%; as such, they were all judged as eligible products. The standard biological effect of active constituents of JZN could be assessed as standard effect. This research also provided evidence for quality standard evaluation system of Chinese herbal compound. Key words: Quality control, biological effects, antioxidant activities, traditional Chinese medicine.

Cucurbitacin B inhibits 12‐O‐tetradecanoylphorbol 13‐acetate‐induced invasion and migration of human hepatoma cells through inactivating mitogen‐activated protein kinase and PI3K/Akt signal transduction pathways

Cucurbitacin B (CuB) is an active component isolated from various plants used as folk medicine in Asian countries and has shown diverse antitumor activities. There is, however, no documented effect of CuB on the migration and invasion of human hepatoma cells yet. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of CuB on the migration and invasion of hepatoma cells and to explore the possible mechanism. Human hepatoma cell lines HepG2 and BEL-7402 were used for the study. Effects of CuB on cancer cell migration and invasion were evaluated in vitro with wound healing and transwell assays. The effect of CuB on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), Akt, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), c-Fos and c-Jun was investigated with gelatin zymography and/or western blotting. Cucurbitacin B has significantly suppressed 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA)-induced cell invasion and migration in a concentration-dependent manner, which was accompanied with suppression of TPA-induced MMP-9 expression through inactivation of phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2, p38 and Akt. In the nucleus, it has also strongly suppressed TPA-stimulated expression of NF-κB, c-Jun and c-Fos. Cucurbitacin B has a potential value for suppressing metastasis of human hepatoma cells through suppressing the expression of MMP-9.

Targeting therapy with epirubicin polybutylcyanoacrylate magnetic nanoparticles for transplanted hepatoma in nude mice

Objective To observe the effect of epirubicin polybutylcyanoacrylate magnetic nanoparticles (EPI-PBCA-MNPS) on the transplanted hepatoma in nude mice.Methods Human hepatoma cell line Bel-7402 nude mice models were established and divided into 5 groups with each of 10 once gross tumor volume was up to 20-30 mm3:normal saline group (NS),epirubicin group (EPI),epirubicin polybutylcyanoacrylate nanoparticles group (EPI-PBCA-NPS),epirubicin polybutylcyanoacrylate magnetic nanoparticles group (EPI-PBCA-MNPS) and epirubicin polybutylcyanoacrylate magnetic nanoparticles+magnetic field group(EPI-PBCA-MNPS+MF).Except for NS group, the dosage of epirubicin was 0.002 mg/g body weight or 40 μg for intravenous injection.After two-weeks therapy,all nude mice models were executed and the tumor volume and weight were measured so as to calculate the volume inhibition ratio and the weight inhibition ratio.Every tumor specimen was made into pathological section and labelled with serial number for comparing neorobiosis degree in different groups before and after therapy.Results There were statistically difference among the other groups (P 0.05).The two ratios in the EPI-PBCA-MNP+MF group (94.26%,80.82%) were significantly more than those in other groups (P<0.01).The pathological sections demonstrated the most severe tumour neorobiosis in the EPI-PBCA-MNP+MF group.Conclusion With the additional magnetic field,EPI-PBCA-MNPS has significant anticancer effect on human hepatoma nude mice models due to its favourable magnetic targeting. Key words: Epirubicin; Polybutylcyanoacrylate; Magnetic nanoparticles; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Transplanted tumor