The effects of plumbagin on proliferation and metastasis in human liver cancer SK-hep-1 cells / 中国癌症杂志

ABSTRACT

Background and purpose: Plumbagin is the main active components of traditional Chinese medicine of plumbago zeylanica. The present studies show that plumbagin has a killing effect on tumor cells. This study aimed to investigate the function and primary mechanism of plumbagin on invasion and metastasis of human liver cancer SK-hep-1 cells. Methods:With the treatment of plumbagin in vitro, cell proliferation and adhesion of SK-hep-1 cells were detected by MTS staining, cell cycle of SK-hep-1 cells were detected by lfow cytometry, the self-renewal and propagation abilities of SK-Hep-1 cells were conducted by colony formation assay , invasion in cells were performed using transwell invasion assay, and the p21 and MMP-2/9 mRNA levels were detected by real-time RT-PCR. Results:With the treatment of plumbagin, SK-Hep-1 cells proliferation was decreased with plumbagin concentration-dependency and the IC50 value of plumbagin in SK-Hep-1 cells was 22.04 mmol/L. The colony formation ability of SK-Hep-1 cells was decreased and the percentage of cells in G0/G1 phase was increased in a dose-dependent manner, as compared to control. The cell adhesion and invasion abilities were decreased. The real-time RT-PCR showed that p21 mRNA expression was increased and the MMP-2/9 mRNA was decreased. Conclusion:Plumbagin could suppress the proliferation and invasiveness of human liver cancer SK-hep-1 cells in vitro, and these effects may be by up-regulation of p21 and down-regulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9.