ABSTRACT
This study aims to investigate the inhibitory effect on proliferation and metastasis of 20-O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-20(S)-protopanaxadiol (IH901) on ECV304 cell line. MTT assay was used to examine the effect of cell proliferation inhibition and the adhesive ability of ECV304 cells to artificial basement membrane. Morphology of cell apoptosis was observed with phase contrast microscope. Apoptosis rate and cell cycle were detected by flow cytometry (FCM). Cell migration was measured by wound healing assay. ELISA kit was used to detect VEGF and bFGF. Caspases were detected by Western blotting. Results indicated that ginseng saponin IH901 can downregulate the expression of growth promoting protein VEGF and bFGF, and upregulate pro apoptosis protein cleaved caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-3. The increase in the apoptotic sub-G1 fraction is in a dose-dependent manner, and cell cycle arrests in the G0/G1 phase was detected by FCM. Morphological examination of IH901-treated samples showed cells with chromatin condensation, cell shrinkage, and all typical characteristics of apoptotic cells. Therefore, IH901 dramatically suppresses cell proliferation and adhesion and migration of ECV304 cell line.