Open Access

Emodin induces apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepaRG cells via the mitochondrial caspase‑dependent pathway

  • Authors:
    • Xiaoxv Dong
    • Boran Ni
    • Jing Fu
    • Xingbin Yin
    • Longtai You
    • Xin Leng
    • Xiao Liang
    • Jian Ni
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: August 2, 2018     https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2018.6620
  • Pages: 1985-1993
  • Copyright: © Dong et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Emodin‑induced hepatotoxicity in vivo and in vitro has been gaining increasing attention. However, the exact molecular pathways underlying these effects remain poorly clarified. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of emodin on HepaRG cells and to define the underlying mechanism. The results demonstrated that emodin evidently inhibited HepaRG cell growth in a dose‑ and time‑dependent manner by blocking cell cycle progression in the S and G2/M phase and by inducing apoptosis. Emodin treatment also resulted in generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which abrogated mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). The above effects were all suppressed by antioxidants, such as N‑acetylcysteine (NAC). Further studies by western blot analysis howed that emodin upregulated p53, p21, Bax, cyclin E, cleaved caspase‑3, 8 and 9, and cleaved poly(ADP‑ribose)polymerase (PARP). However, the protein expression of Bcl‑2, cyclin A and CDK2 was downregulated. Taken together, our results suggest that emodin induces apoptosis via the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway through cell cycle arrest and ROS generation in HepaRG cells.
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October-2018
Volume 40 Issue 4

Print ISSN: 1021-335X
Online ISSN:1791-2431

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Copy and paste a formatted citation
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Spandidos Publications style
Dong X, Ni B, Fu J, Yin X, You L, Leng X, Liang X and Ni J: Emodin induces apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepaRG cells via the mitochondrial caspase‑dependent pathway. Oncol Rep 40: 1985-1993, 2018
APA
Dong, X., Ni, B., Fu, J., Yin, X., You, L., Leng, X. ... Ni, J. (2018). Emodin induces apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepaRG cells via the mitochondrial caspase‑dependent pathway. Oncology Reports, 40, 1985-1993. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2018.6620
MLA
Dong, X., Ni, B., Fu, J., Yin, X., You, L., Leng, X., Liang, X., Ni, J."Emodin induces apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepaRG cells via the mitochondrial caspase‑dependent pathway". Oncology Reports 40.4 (2018): 1985-1993.
Chicago
Dong, X., Ni, B., Fu, J., Yin, X., You, L., Leng, X., Liang, X., Ni, J."Emodin induces apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepaRG cells via the mitochondrial caspase‑dependent pathway". Oncology Reports 40, no. 4 (2018): 1985-1993. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2018.6620