ABSTRACT
Aim To study the relationship between the anti-proliferative effect of resveratrol (Res) and BMP7 on human colon cancer cells and its possible molecular mechanism. Methods The proliferation of HCT116 cells was analyzed with cell proliferation inhibition assay, flow cytometry, Western blot and Annexin V-EGFP staining. CCK-8, PCR and Western blot assay were used to determine the effect of Res on BMP7 in HCT116 cells and the possible molecular mechanism underlying this process. Results Res inhibited the proliferation,arrested cell cycle at S phase and promo-ted apoptosis in HCT116 cells. Res increased the ex-pression of BMP7 mRNA and protein in HCT116 cells. Overexpression of BMP7 enhanced the anti-proliferative effect of Res on HCT116 cells and promoted the Res-induced apoptosis, whereas BMP7-specific antibody significantly attenuated these effects. Res exerted no apparent effect on the phosphorylation of Smad1/5/8, but decreased the phosphorylation of Akt1/2/3 sub-stantially in HCT116 cells. Overexpression of BMP7 enhanced the inhibitory effect of Res on phosphoryla-tion of Akt1/2/3, while BMP7 specific antibody re-duced this effect notably. Res markedly decreased the phosphorylation of PTEN, which could be boosted by BMP7,but attenuated by the BMP7 specific antibody. Conclusions Res can inhibit the proliferation and promote apoptosis of HCT116 cells,and the anti-canc-er activity of Res may be mediated by inactivating PI3K/Akt signaling through up-regulating BMP7 to de-crease the phosphorylation of PTEN partly.