枸杞叶总黄酮对人肝癌细胞HepG2增殖与凋亡的影响

ims]The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of total flavonoids in Lycium chinensis leaves on cell proliferation and apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2 cells) cultured in vitro. [Methods] HepG2 cells were treated with different doses of total flavonoids in Lycium chinensis leaves, the cell viability was measured using MTT assay. The morphological changes of the apoptotic cells were assessed by fluorescent Hoechst 33258 stain. The apoptotic rate was measured by flow cytometry. The apoptosis-associated protein expression levels of Bax and Caspase-3 were analyzed by immunocytochemistry method. [Results] The total flavonoids in Lycium chinensis leave can dose-dependently and time-dependently inhibit the cell viability of HepG2 effectively when incubated either for 48h or for 72h. The HepG2 was treated with total flavonoids in Lycium chinensis leaves in high dose for 48h, the cell presented typical apoptosis characteristic. The maximum ratio of apoptosis is up to 67.3%. The pro-apoptotic protein bax and caspase-3 were increased, when the cell was incubated for a certain time. [Conclusion] The total flavonoids in Lycium chinensis leaves can inhibit the cell viability of HepG2 and induce apoptosis effectively. The proposed mechanism is involved in the up-regulation of pro-apoptotic protein bax, which break the cells homeostasis, and then activation of apoptotic protein caspase-3.