[Study of galic acid extracted from the leaves of Phyllanthus emblica on apoptotic mechanism of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells BEL-7404].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells BEL-7404 induced by Galic acid extracted from leaves of Phyllanthus emblica. METHODS: PI/Hoechst33342 double staining method was utilized to observe the influence on cell life cycle. The expressions of Bax and Bcl-2 protein were determined by fluorescence immunostaining and Western blot. RESULTS: The results from PI/Hoechst33342 double staining method indicated that the percentage of cells G2/M phases increased after treated for 72 h, the phenomenon of blockage appeared and cell death was induced. Fluorescence immunostaining showed that the expression of Bax was up-regulated, and the expression of Bcl-2 was down-regulated. Western blot also showed that the the expression of Bax was up-regulated. CONCLUSION: The mechanism of human hepatoma BEL-7404 cells apoptosis induced by Galic acid from leaves of Phyllanthus emblica may be blocking G2/M period in cell life cycle, up-regulating the expression of Bax and down-regulating the expression of Bcl-2, that can decrease membrane potential of mitochondria,and triggered the caspases of activation of cascade and induced cell death.