Effects of emodin on proliferation, apoptosis and expression of apoptotic regulating gene of human pancreatic cancer cell line BxPC3

Objective To investigate the effect of emodin on cell growth, proliferation cycle and its effect on the expression of apoptotic regulating gene of human pancreatic cancer cell line Bxpc-3 in vitro. Methods The survival rates of BxPC3 cell in vitro under the treatment of different concentrations emodin (0, 10, 20, 40, 80μmol/L) were detected by MTT colorimetric assay; the cell proliferation cycle and the apoptotic rate were examined with flow cytometry analysis; the expression of Bax, Bak, Bad and Bid mRNA was assessed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results (1) The inhibitory effort of emodin on BxPC3 cell proliferation was found to be in a dose-dependent manner along with the concentration of emodin changed from 0 μmol/L to 80 μmol/L, the cell survival rates were (97.42±2.45)%, (78.58± 3.11) %, (62.39±2.19) %, (51.68±2.92) %, (34.30±4.04)%; (2) Cell cycle changes were present in the groups treated with emodin, the percentage of cells in G0/G1 stage increased in a dose-dependent manner along with the concentration of emodin changed from 0 μmol/L to 80 μmol/L, the percentages of cells in G0/G1stage were (51.22±0.64)%, (53.88±0.72)%, (55.39±1.12)%, (58.17±1.48)%, (63.72± 1.52)%, and that in S stage decreased (42.87±0.67)%, (39.68±0.58)%, (34.60±1.06)%, (31.88± 1.48) %, (27.26±1.67)%; (3) The apoptotic rates of the groups treated with emodin raised in a dose-dependent manner, along with the concentration of emodin changed from 0 μmol/L to 80 μmoL/L, the cell apoptotic rates were (19.16±1.69)%, (31.78±2.21)%, (47.03±3.39)%, (55.92±5.39)%, (62.78± 3.19)%;(4)The expression of bax, bak, bad and Bid mRNA in BxPC3 cell treated with emodin was up-regulated significantly (F=55.649, P<0.01; F=19.403, P<0.05;F=29.009, P<0.05;F=39.546, P < 0.01). Conclusions Emodin was able to inhibit proliferation and induce the apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cell line BxPC3 effectively in vitro, and these effects were possibly associated with the up-regulation of bax, bak, bad and bid mRNA expression. Key words: Pancreatic neoplasms;  Emodin;  Apoptosis;  Cell cycle;  Apoptotic regulating gene