RESUMO
The present investigation was undertaken to gain insight into the molecular mechanism by which myricetin induces apoptosis in human hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells. Myricetin caused the disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, myricetin triggered translocation of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax to the mitochondria, downregulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 expression and upregulated the expression of pro-apoptotic protein Bad in the mitochondria. The present study also showed that myricetin promoted the release of cytochrome C from mitochondria into the cytosol followed by an increase in the proteolytic activation of caspase-3 and the concomitant degradation of PARP protein. Additionally, western blot analysis showed that the Akt/p70s6k1 pathway was inhibited in myricetin-treated HepG2 cells, accordingly the phosphorylation of Bad at Ser136 was downregulated. Collectively, these findings indicate that myricetin induced apoptosis in HepG2 cell through mitochondria apoptotic pathway and Akt/p70s6k1/Bad signaling. Present results provide new information on the possible mechanisms for the anti-cancer activity of myricetin.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos Fitogênicos/farmacologia , Flavonoides/farmacologia , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , Mitocôndrias/efeitos dos fármacos , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-akt/genética , Proteínas Quinases S6 Ribossômicas 70-kDa/genética , Proteína de Morte Celular Associada a bcl/genética , Apoptose/efeitos dos fármacos , Caspase 3/genética , Caspase 3/metabolismo , Citocromos c/metabolismo , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Células Hep G2 , Humanos , Potencial da Membrana Mitocondrial/efeitos dos fármacos , Mitocôndrias/metabolismo , Poli(ADP-Ribose) Polimerases/genética , Poli(ADP-Ribose) Polimerases/metabolismo , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-akt/metabolismo , Proteínas Quinases S6 Ribossômicas 70-kDa/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais , Proteína X Associada a bcl-2/genética , Proteína X Associada a bcl-2/metabolismo , Proteína de Morte Celular Associada a bcl/metabolismoRESUMO
Myricetin, a naturally occurring flavonol, has been shown to inhibit the proliferation of human hepatoma HepG2 cells and to induce G2/M phase arrest. However, the underlying mechanisms of Myricetin activity have yet to be revealed. The aim of the present study was to clarify the molecular mechanisms of cell cycle arrest induced by myricetin in HepG2 cells. The MTT assay confirmed that exposure of HepG2 cells to myricetin triggered G2/M phase arrest. Western blot analysis showed that myricetin increased the protein levels of the p53/p21 cascade, and markedly decreased Cdc2 and cyclin B1 protein levels in HepG2 cells. Additionally, myricetin treatment resulted in the up-regulation of Thr14/Tyr15 phosphorylated (inactive) Cdc2 and p27, and the down-regulation of CDK7 kinase protein, as well as CDK7-mediated Thr161 phosphorylated (active) Cdc2. These data indicate that a decrease in cyclin B/Cdc2 complex activity mediated G2/M phase arrest induced by myricetin in HepG2 cells. This novel finding provides insight into the potential applications of myricetin in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.