1. Inhibition of HepG2 cell proliferation by ursolic acid and polysaccharides via the downregulation of cyclooxygenase-2
- Author
-
Jingkai Zhang, Meiling Li, Jihui Wu, Likui Wang, Zhenjing Li, Jinlu Zhang, Ling Liu, Cheng Luo, and Xiaohong Zhang
- Subjects
Cancer Research ,Down-Regulation ,Apoptosis ,Biochemistry ,Dinoprostone ,Superoxide dismutase ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Ursolic acid ,Downregulation and upregulation ,Polysaccharides ,Genetics ,medicine ,Humans ,Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors ,Prostaglandin E2 ,Molecular Biology ,Cell Proliferation ,biology ,Cell growth ,Cell Cycle Checkpoints ,Hep G2 Cells ,Malondialdehyde ,Molecular biology ,Triterpenes ,Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ,Oncology ,chemistry ,Cyclooxygenase 2 ,biology.protein ,Molecular Medicine ,Cyclooxygenase ,Reactive Oxygen Species ,medicine.drug - Abstract
Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, a multi-functional molecule, is overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinomas. In order to understand cell proliferation and its association with COX-2 in HepG2 cells in the presence of ursolic acid (UA), viili exopolysaccharides (VEPS) and Astragalus polysaccharides (APS), the cell proliferation, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and metabolic malondialdehyde (MDA) of fatty acids, COX-2, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), as well as apoptotic morphology and rate were investigated. The results revealed that the activities of SOD, COX-2 and PGE2 were reduced, MDA was markedly decreased, apoptotic blebs were induced, and HepG2 cells were accumulated in the G1 and sub G1/apoptotic phases in test groups. The results indicated that UA, VEPS, APS and any combination of these possess anticancer properties, particularly by downregulating COX-2 expression, which may have increased internal oxidation and triggered apoptosis together with a change in internal antioxidant response elements, leading to a reduction in cell proliferation.
- Published
- 2013