Regulation of Survivin in Apoptosis of SMMC7721 Cells Induced by Quercetin

Objective To investigate the apoptosis of SMMC7721 hepatic cancer cells induced by quercetin and its relationship with the expression of survivin and activity of caspase-3.Methods Inhibitory effect of quercetin on SMMC7721 cells was detected by MTT assay.Morphological changes of apoptotic cells for Hoechst staining were observed by fluorescence microscope.Cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry(FCM).Expression of survivin protein was detected by immunocytochemistry staining.Activity of caspase-3 was analyzed by colorimetry.Results Quercetin had a significant inhibition on growth and proliferation of SMMC7721 cells in a concentration-and time-dependent manner.The IC50 was 84.24 μmol·L-1 after cells were treated with quercetin for 48h.evidence was provided that apoptosis occurred in SMMC7721 cells treated with quercetin using fluorescence microscope.It was suggested that quercetin blocked SMMC7721 cells at the G0/G1 phase by FCM analysis.Expression of survivin protein was decreased,and activity of caspase-3 were enhanced.Conclusion Quercetin could induce apoptosis of SMMC7721 cells by down-regcclating the expression of survivin protein and actionting caspase-3.