Effects Of Emodin On Expressions Of AIF And EndoG In Hepatoma Cell Lines

Backgroud and object: Primary liver cancer is a common malignant tumor in clinic with the characteristics of concealed onset, proceeded rapidly, high malignant degree, easy to transfer and recur, difficult to treat, short survival time, the overall 5-year survival rate is relatively lower, and there is a trend of younger age, made It becam a serious threat to human life and health. Primary liver cancer belongs to the category of abdominal mass, abdominal lumps and jaundice in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Through a long period of clinical practice and exploration, TCM has advantages to prevent hepato- carcinoma metastasis and recurrence and to improve symptoms and survival quality of middle- late phased cancer patients and prolong survival time.In ancient effective Chinese herbal medicine prescription, rhubarb was most frequenly use as a single Chinese herb, its effectiveness had been met with general approval and attention.Modern basic research found that emodin is an important and effective monomer of rhubarb which exhibits anti-tumor effects by multiple mechanisms. To induce apoptosis of tumor cells is an important one of these mechanisms.The study found that after inhibit cysteinyl aspartate specific protease (Caspases) which is the main molecule mediating cell apoptosis, the apoptosis still occur. The mitochondrial membrane protein, apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) and endonuclease G (Endo G) can directly mediate nuclear apoptosis through Caspases- independent pathway, are important symbols of Caspases-independent pathway .Therefore, we speculate that emodin can induce cell apoptosis through mediate expression, release and nuclear translocation of apoptosis inducing factor and endonuclease G, directly degrade DNA, except for through Caspase-dependent apoptosis pathway. Accordingly,the purpose of our present work is to evaluate the effects of emodin on the expression and nuclear translocation of AIF and EndoG in hepatoma cell lines and explore the mechanism of Emodin in apoptosis inducing.Methods: The CBRH-7919 and HepG2 cell culture in vitro were divided into 4 groups respectively: blank control group, Caspase inhibitor group, Emodin group and Emodin Combined with Caspase inhibitor group. Detect the expression of AIF and EndoG in endochylema and nucelus by Western blot respectively.Results: The protein expression of AIF and EndoG in Emodin group and Emodin Combined with Caspase inhibitor group were higher than that in blank control group and Caspase inhibitor group(P<0.01), which in Emodin Combined with Caspase inhibitor group was the highest expression.Conclusions: Emodin can up-regulate the protein expression and translocation of AIF and EndoG in rat hepatoma cell CBRH-7919 and human hepatoma cell HepG2, Emodin can induce apoptosis through Caspase- independent pathway.