ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the effects of escin sodium on proliferation of human leukemia Jurkat cells and its possible mechanism. Methods The reduction of cellular viability was determined by MTT assay. Hoechst 33258 staining, DNA fragmentation assay, FITC-Annexin V-FITC/PI staining assay, and cytometric analysis were used to confirm the features of apoptosis and cell cycle. Western blotting assays were performed to explore the apoptotic pathway. Results Escin sodium inhibited the proliferation of Jurkat cells in both dose- and time-dependent manners. The morphological apoptosis, DNA fragmentation pattern, and the percentage of Annexin V+/PI- (early apoptosis) cells were markedly increased in escin sodium-treated Jurkat cells. Escin sodium activated Caspase-8, Caspase-9, and Caspase-3, degraded poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and attenuated Bcl-2 expression. Conclusion Escin sodium could inhibit the proliferation of Jurkat cells via the induction of apoptosis effectively.