Study on hepatoxic liver of rutecarpine based on high-content screening technology / 中国药理学通报

ABSTRACT

Aim To investigate the hepatotoxicity of rutecarpine(RUT)by using high-content screening technology.Methods HepG2 cells were exposed to different concentrations of RUT for different time, then cell viability was detected by MTT method.Cell count, nucleus injury, mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP), reactive oxygen species(ROS), internal flow of calcium, cell membrane integrity(DIR)were measured by high-content screening technology.The activation of MAPK, NF-κB and JAKs-STATs was assayed by high-content screening technology.The apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry.Results The viability was significantly reduced by 100 μmol·L-1 RUT(P<0.01)after HepG2 cell exposure to RUT for 24 h, the nuclear area decreased and the nuclear morphology was uneven, and after 48 h, the cell count was significantly reduced(P<0.01), the early apoptosis was detected(P<0.01).After HepG2 cell exposure to RUT for 6 h, the levels of ROS and internal flow of calcium significantly increased(P<0.01), and the cell membrane integrity was obviously damaged(P<0.01).After exposure to 100 μmol·L-1 RUT for 24 h, the phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, STAT3 and p38 significantly increased(P<0.01, P<0.05), but there was no significant change in total protein level.The expression of c-Jun and c-Fos was up-regulated at 3 h(P<0.01), and at 3h time point, the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 significantly increased(P<0.01), but nuclear translocation was not significant.Conclusions Under certain conditions, RUT shows cytotoxicity on HepG2 cells, and its toxic mechanism is mainly related to injury caused by oxidative stress and inflammatory response.