Proliferative Inhibition and Apoptotic Induction Effect of Glycyrrhizin on Human Breast Carcinoma Cells

Objective To investigate the proliferative inhibition and apoptotic induction effect of glycyrrhizin(GL) on human breast carcinoma(MCF-7) cells.The relationship between GL-induced apoptosis effect and intracellular Ca 2+ concentration was also studied.Methods After MCF-7 cells were treated with different concentration of GL from 2.5 mmol/L to 12.5 mmol/L for 24 h,cell viability of proliferation was assessed by MTT assay.MCF-7 cells were treated with 5.0 mmol/L,7.5 mmol/L and 10.0 mmol/L GL for 24 h,and the rate of cell apoptosis was examined by terminal deoxynucleotide transferase mediated dUTP nick-end-labeling method and flow cytometry with Annexin V/propidium iodide fluorescent stain.7.5 mmol/L GL was used for 24 h and intracellular Ca 2+ concentration was measured by Fure-2 fluorescein load method.Results With the concentration increase of GL from 5mmol/L to 12.5 mmol/L,the rate of proliferative inhibition increased significantly(P0.01).The degree of the inhibition were in a dose-dependent fashion.IC 50 of the proliferative inhibition was 15.8 mmol/L.With GL of 7.5 mmol/L and 10.0 mmol/L,the rate of cell apoptosis increased significantly(P0.05 and P0.01).Intracellular Ca 2+ concentration was lower evidently when treated with GL(P0.05).Conclusion Glycyrrhizin has the proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induction effect on MCF-7 cell.The descent of intracellular Ca 2+ level may be related to apoptosis induction effect of GL in MCF-7 cells.