Effects of Sorafenib on Cisplatin-Induced Apoptosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma HepG2 Cells

Objective To evaluate the effect of Sorafenib on cisplatin(DDP)-induced apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells, and to study the mechanistic actions of Sorafenib. Method The effects of Sorafenib, DDP, or Sorafenib+DDP on the proliferation,cell cycle progression, apoptosis and the mRNA expression of MDR-1 of HepG2 cell were studied using MTT assay, flow cytometry and RT-PCR, respectively. Result Sorafenib or DDP can inhibit the proliferation of HepG2 cells. Sorafenib acts synergistically with DDP in both growth inhibition and in induction of apoptosis of HepG2 cells (P0.05). The level of MDR-1 mRNA expressions was in the order of DDP-treated DDP+Sorafenib-treated Sorafenib-treated HepG2 cells (P0.05). Conclusion Sorafenib combined with DDP showed a synergistic growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis in HepG2 cells. The effect was correlated with the down-regulation of MDR-1 by Soratenib.