Plumbagin induces autophagy and apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells in vitro and in vivo.

Abstract

Plumbagin (PL), an active naphthoquinone compound, has been demonstrated to be a potential anticancer agent. However, the underlying anticancer mechanism is not fully understood. In this study, the human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) SMMC-7721 cell line was studied in an in vitro model. The cell proliferation was inhibited by PL in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Electron microscopy, acridine orange staining, and immunofluorescence were used to evaluate autophagosome formation and LC3 protein expression in PL-treated SMMC-7721 cells. Real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot showed that PL treatment suppressed the expression of apoptosis and autophagy factors (LC3, Beclin1, Atg7, and Atg5), which are associated with tumor apoptosis and autophagy in SMMC-7721 cells. In the study of in vitro tumor nude mouse models, PL can inhibit tumor growth. Cell apoptosis and autophagy of the transplanted tumors were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling staining, and Western blot. In addition, in the in vivo studies of HCC cells, we found that pretreatment with the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine blocked the formation of apoptosis induced by PL. In contrast, administration of the apoptosis inhibitor Z-VAD did not affect PL-induced autophagy. Taken together, our findings strongly suggest that PL is a promising drug with significant antitumor activity in HCC.

• Authors: Yuning Lin, Yongxin Chen, Shengshan Wang, Jing Ma, Yue Peng, Xianling Yuan, Beibei Lv, Wanjun Chen, Yanfei Wei
• Journal: Journal of cellular biochemistry (J Cell Biochem) Vol. 120 Issue 6 Pg. 9820-9830 (06 2019) ISSN: 1097-4644 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 30536473 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Chemical References

• Naphthoquinones
• plumbagin

Topics

• Animals
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Autophagic Cell Death (drug effects)
• Carcinoma, Hepatocellular (drug therapy, metabolism, pathology)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Female
• Humans
• Liver Neoplasms (drug therapy, metabolism, pathology)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Mice, Nude
• Naphthoquinones (pharmacology)
• Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays