Study on apoptosis of SMMC-7721 hepatocarcinoma cells induced by Oxytropis falcata and its preliminary mechanism / 中国中药杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To examine apoptosis of SMMC-7721 hepatocarcinoma cells induced by total flavonoids of Oxytropis falcata (TFOF) and its preliminary mechanism.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>SMMC-7721 cells were treated for 24 h with TFOF in different concentrations. Inhibition on proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells was assessed by MTT assay. The morphology of treated SMMC-7721 cells was observed by optical microscope. Effect of TFOF on the nuclear morphology of cells was analyzed using Hoechst 33258 staining by fluorescence microscope. Annexin V-FITC/PI staining and flow cytometric measurement were used for investigating the effect of TFOF on induction of apoptosis in SMMC-7721 cells and cell cycle analysis.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The results of MTT assay showed that TFOF could induce cytotoxicity in SMMC-7721 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Hoechst 33258 staining analysis indicated that TFOF caused typical characteristics of apoptotic programmed cell death, such as cell shrinkage, apoptotic body formation etc. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that TFOF caused a dose-dependent apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells and arrested cell cycle in G1 phase.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>It suggested that TFOF inhibit proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells by inducing apoptosis of the cells and arresting cell cycle in G1 phase.</p>