Effect and mechanism of proliferation and apoptosis induced by arctigenin in human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cell

Objective To evaluate the effect of proliferation and apoptosis induced by arctigenin(ARG) in human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cell,and explore its mechanism.Methods SMMC-7721 cell were treated with different concentration ARG.Proliferation and apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cell inhibited by ARG were assessed by MTT and flow cytometry(FCM).Expression levels of Bcl-2 mRNA in SMMC-7721 cell were determined by RT-PCR.Results The proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells were significantly lower in ARG Group than in the control group(P0.05).FCM showed the ratio of G0/G1 increased(P0.05).RT-PCR showed that the expression of Bcl-2 reduced(P0.05).Conclusion ARG can inhibit the proliferation,block the cell cycle at G0/G1 and promotes apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells,and the mechanism of apeptosis is dependent on the activity of Bcl-2.