Study On The Effects Of Berberine On Proliferation, Apoptosis And Differentiation Of K562 Cell

ObjectiveBerberine is a natural product extracted and purified from the traditional Chinesedrug—Coptis chinensis Franch, which exerts significant antitumor activity in vitro.Our research was carried out to study the effect of Berberine on proliferation,apoptosis and differentiation on K562 cells in vitro. This study aims at supplying thetheoretical evidence for the clinical application of Coptis chinensis Franch for curingchronic myeloid leukemia.MethodsThe proliferation-inhibiting capability of Berberine and Berberine combined withAra-C on K562 cells were investigated by using MTT colorimetric assay, trypan blueexclusion test and colony culture test; To study the apoptosis effect of Berberine onK562 cells by using light microscope; DNA fragmentation was assayed by agarose gelelectrophoresis; The cell cycle distribution and the cell surface marker-cluster ofdifferentiation were determined by flow cytometry.ResultsBerberine effectively inhibited the proliferation of K562 cells in a dose- andtime-dependent way, the IC₅₀ of 48 hours and 72 hours were 26.85μg/ml and5.39μg/ml, in addition, Berberine significantly inhibited colonic formation of K562cells in a dose-dependent way; Berberine combined with different concentrations ofAra-C inhibited K562 cells' viability more prominently than they treated K562 cellsrespectively, but with the treated time extending, the synergistic effect of berberineand Ara-C gradually decreased; When Berberine treated K562 cells for 48 hours, itcould induced the differentiation of K562 cells towards erythrocyte and granulocyteand megakaryocyte, while the apoptosis was not obvious. But with the treated timeextending, the percentage of apoptosis cell gradually increased. ConclusionBerberine exerts a significant growth-inhibition in K562 cells via the induction ofG₀/G₁-phase and (or) G₂-phase arrest and apoptosis and differentiation of K562 cells;there is synergistic efect of Ara-C and Berberine.