Effect of Salidroside on Proliferation， Migration， Invasion， and Apoptosis of HepG2 Cells / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveSalidroside is the most abundant natural active compound in the famous Chinese herbal medicine Rhodiolae Crenulatae Radix et Rhizoma. This study aims to explore the effect of salidroside on the proliferation， migration， invasion， and apoptosis of human hepatoma （HepG2） cells. MethodThe HepG2 cells without any treatment were selected as the blank group， and the HepG2 cells in the salidroside groups were treated with salidroside at final concentrations of 20， 40， 80 μmol·L-1， respectively. A multifunctional cell analyzer， scratch assay， and Transwell assay were employed to determine the proliferation， migration， and invasion of HepG2 cells， respectively. An inverted microscope was used to observe the morphology， and a transmission electron microscope to observe the mitochondria of HepG2 cells. Flow cytometry was employed to determine the apoptosis and cycle distribution of HepG2 cells. Real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction ( Real-time PCR ) and Western blot were employed to determine the expression of apoptosis-associated genes and migration-， invasion-， and apoptosis-associated proteins， respectively， in HepG2 cells. ResultCompared with the blank group， salidroside （20， 40， 80 μmol·L-1） decreased the cell index and increased the healing area in a time- and dose-dependent manner （P<0.05）. Compared with that in the blank group， the HepG2 cells that could pass through Matrigel reduced in the salidroside （20， 80 μmol·L-1） groups. Compared with the blank group， salidroside （20， 40， 80 μmol·L-1） increased the total apoptosis rate in a dose dependence manner and blocked the cells in the G2/M phase （P<0.05）. Compared with the blank group， salidroside up-regulated the expression of epithelial-cadherin （E-cadherin） in a dose-dependent manner （P<0.05） and down-regulated that of nerve-cadherin （N-cadherin） in the 20 and 80 μmol·L-1 groups （P<0.05）. Compared with the blank group， salidroside （20， 40， 80 μmol·L-1） up-regulated the mRNA level of cysteine-containing aspartate-specific protease -3 （Caspase-3） and the protein levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2） associated X protein （Bax）， Caspase-3， and cysteine-containing aspartate-specific protease-9 （Caspase-9） in a dose-dependent manner （P<0.05）， while it down-regulated the protein levels of the actin-binding protein Girdin and Bcl-2 in a dose-dependent manner （P<0.05）. ConclusionSalidroside inhibited the proliferation， migration， and invasion and induced the apoptosis of HepG2 cells through the mitochondrial pathway. The results suggest that salidroside can be used as a potential chemotherapy candidate for liver cancer.