Objective To investigate the effects of xanthotoxin from Apiaceae medicinal plants on cell proliferation and apoptosis, and explore its mechanism of action against human gastric carcinoma SGC-7901 cells in vitro. Methods SGC-7901, HepG-2, MCF-7, and A549 cells were treated with different concentrations of xanthotoxin (10, 20, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, and 160 μg/mL) for 48 h, and the cell viability (IC50) was determined by MTT assay; Xanthotoxin-induced apoptosis in cells was observed by using Hoechst 33258 Staining Kit and Annexin V-FITC Apoptosis Detection Kit; Flow cytometry was used to detect apoptosis related proteins of Fas/FasL, Bid, and DR5/TRAIL proteins in human gastric carcinoma SGC-7901 cells after being treated by xanthotoxin; The influence of xanthotoxin on Caspase-8 protein expression in the cells was determined by Flouormetric Assay Kit. Results Xanthotoxin obviously inhibited SGC-7901, HepG-2, MCF-7, and A549 cells proliferation, and its inhibition was in a concentration-dependened manner; Flow cytometry results showed that in a certain concentration range, xanthotoxin can increase the expression levels of Fas/FasL and DR5/TRAIL proteins in a concentration-dependence manner. The content of bid protein in cells was increased, and it showed concentration-dependence. Conclusion Xanthotoxin may induce SGC-7901 cells apoptosis in a certain concentration range through the Fas/FasL protein mediated death receptor pathway, or by DR5/TRAIL mediated death receptor pathway, and increase the expression level of death receptor protein, activation Caspase-8, activating downstream effect factor, inducing cell apoptosis, or activate Caspase-8 cutting activate protein Bid, and then enter the mitochondrial pathway, induction of apoptosis.
Xiu-juan Zhang, Cang Wei, Li-juan He, Jian An. Xanthotoxin induces apoptosis in SGC-7901 cells through death receptor pathway[J]. Chinese Herbal Medicines (CHM),2018,10(4):437-444
