Influence of alum on liver carcinoma cells HepG2 and SMMC-7721and its mechanism

HAO Jian; WU Xiong-zhi

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1002-266X.2015.23.001

Abstract：Objective To observe the influence of alum on the liver carcinoma cells HepG2 and SMMC-7721, and to investigate its possible mechanism.Methods HepG2, SMMC-7721 cell lines were selected and we set the experimental group and control group ( HepG2 cells were divided into the experimental group 1 and the control group 1, SMMC-7721 cells were divided into the experimental group 2 and the control group 2) .Cells in the experimental group were added with different dosages of alum and the control group with the same volume of DMEM medium.Trypan blue tests were conducted to analyze cell growth curve;the cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry;and RT-PCR, ELISA were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of transforming growth factor-β1 ( TGF-β1 ) , p21 and Cyclin E.Results For HepG2 cell line, the inhibition rates of 100 μg/mL alum at day 3, 4, 5 and 6 were 23.2%, 53.7%, 68.6% and 97.3%, respectively.For SMMC-7721 cell line, the inhibition rates of 100 μg/mL alum at day 3, 4, 5 and 6 were 14.1%, 28.3%, 47.2%and 81.9%.HepG2 cells:the cell proportion in the G0/G1 phase of the experimental group 1 and control group 1 was 73.15%and 59.75%, respectively (P<0.05).SMMC-7721 cells: the cell proportion in the G0/G1 phase of the experimental group 2 and control group 2 was 76.66%and 44.11%respectively (P<0.05).HepG2 cells:the apoptosis rates of the experimental group 1 and control group 1 were 22.53% and 5.2%, respectively ( P<0.05).SMMC-7721 cells:the apoptosis rates of the experimental group 2 and control group 2 were 17.63% and 4.8%, respectively (P<0.05).Compared with its corresponding control groups, the mRNA and protein expression of TGF-β1 was increased, p21 mRNA and protein expression was increased and Cyclin E mRNA and protein expression was decreased in the experimental groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01).Conclusion Alum may inhibit the proliferation of liver cancer cells, ar-rest cells at G1 phase and promote their apoptosis, which are associated with the increased TGF-β1 and p21 expression and the down-regulation of Cyclin E expression.