Abstract
Aim:
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of aloe-emodin, a natural compound from the root and rhizome of Rheum palmatum, on the growth of human cervical cancer cells, HeLa.
Methods:
HeLa cells were treated with various concentrations of aloe-emodin for 1-5 d, and cell growth was measured by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. The long-term growth effect was investigated by crystal violet assay. The distributions of the cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was analyzed by a chemical analyzer. Finally, Western blotting was used to indicate the abundant changes of protein kinase C (PKC), c-myc, cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA).
Results:
Aloe-emodin inhibited the growth of HeLa cells in a dose-dependent manner at concentrations ranging between 2.5 and 40 μmol/L. The flow cytometric analysis showed that HeLa cells were arrested at the G2/M phase. This effect was associated with the decrease in cyclin A and CDK2, and the increase in cyclin B1 and CDK1. More importantly, the ALP activity was found to be increased by aloe-emodin treatment, and accompanied by the inhibition of PCNA expression. In addition, aloe-emodin suppressed the expression of PKCα and c-myc.
Conclusion:
These findings provide a possible mechanistic explanation for the growth inhibitory effect of aloe-emodin on HeLa, which includes cell cycle arrest and inducing differentiation.
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Project supported by grants from the Ningbo Natural Science Foundation (No 2006A610047); the “151 Personal Training Project” of Zhejiang Province, China; the “Famous Professor Training Project” of Ningbo, China; the “Key Subjects Fund of Ningbo University (No XK0614052), and the KC Wong Magna Fund at Ningbo University.
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Guo, Jm., Xiao, Bx., Liu, Q. et al. Anticancer effect of aloe-emodin on cervical cancer cells involves G2/M arrest and induction of differentiation. Acta Pharmacol Sin 28, 1991–1995 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-7254.2007.00707.x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-7254.2007.00707.x