Apoptosis Of Human Heptoma Cell HepG-2 Induced By Sophoridine And Its Mechanisms Of Regulatory Genes

Objective: To investigate the antiproliferation and apoptosis effects of sophoridine and expressions of caspase-3 , bcl-2 , survivin in human hepatocellular cancer cell HepG-2.Methods: By cells culturing in vitro,anti-proliferation effect of sophridine was assessed with methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT)colorimetric assay. The morphology of cells was observed under transmission electron microscopy and laser scanning confocal microscopy respectively. The flow cytometry was used to detect apoptotic rates and cell cycle distribution , and it was used to determine the expression of caspase-3. The expressions of bcl-2 and survivin were determined by the immunocytochemical method.Results: MTT showed the the inhibitory effect of sophoridine was more obvious. Microscope showed that cell presented some morphologic features of apoptosis, including cell shrinkage, plasma membrane blebbing, nuclear condensation and formation of apoptotic bodies. The flow cytometry showed that after exposure to drugs, the apoptotic rates were more obvious in the group with sophoridine, and it showed that the upregulation of caspase-3 protein expression was noted in sophoridine group. The effect of sophoridine group showed a cell cycle blocking at G₀/G₁ phase. The immunocytochemical method showed that the levels of bcl-2 and survivin were downregulated after exposure to sophoridine.Conclusion: Sophoridine induced apoptosis was reduced which may be caused by upregulating the expression of caspase-3 and downregulating the expression of bcl-2 and surviving. Sophoridine may have a promising prospect in the treatment of hepatocarcinoma cancer through apoptosis.