Effects Of Ginsenoside Rh₂on The Proliferation And Apoptosis Of Human Hepatocarcinoma Cells Bel-7402

[Objective] To investigate the effects of ginsenoside Rh2on the proliferation and apoptosis of human liver cancer cells Bel-7402.[Methods] Human hepatoma Bel-7402cells were treated with DMEM medium containing10%fetal bovine serum (FBS),37℃,5%CO2. The medium was changed every two days time, until the cell grew to80%by trypsin digestion and passage. Human hepatocarcinoma Bel-7402cells were co-cultured with gensenoside Rh2(200,100,50μg·ml-1) for48h. MTT method was performed to detect the effect of gensenoside Rh2on Bel-7402cells proliferation at the wavelength of490nm. FCM was used to analyze the ratio of Bel-7402cells in each phase of cell cycle. TUNEL technique was performed to analyze the effect of gensenoside Rh2on Bel-7402cells apoptosis in the wavelength range of450-500nm by fluorescence microscopy. Western Blot was used to detect the protein expression of Bcl-2and Bax in Bel-7402cells.[Results] MTT assay showed that the gensenoside Rh2the (200,100,50μg of·ml-1)could inhibit the proliferation of Bel-7402cells, compared with the negative control group, cell proliferation inhibition rates were as follows:30.25±1.29%,14.14±1.17%,8.27±1.02%,. FACS showed that the gensenoside Rh2could retard Bel-7402cells in G1phase of cell cycle. And the percentages were:79.3±1.10%,71.2±1.47%,66.1±1.22%, with a certain extent on the dose-effect relationship. TUNEL showed that the gensenoside Rh2could promote Bel-7402cells apoptosis. the apoptosis rates were14.32±1.11%,8.14±1.21%,5.28±1.09%. Western Blot showed that in Bel-7402cells, the expression of Bcl-2was decreased and the expression of Bax was increased. Each result above showed a dose-response relationship to a certain degree.[Conclusion] Compared with the negative control group, the gensenoside Rh2could inhibit the proliferation as well as promote the apoptosis of Bel-7402cells. While the pro-apoptotic Bax expression was elevated, this also caused a lower ratio of Bcl-2/Bax. The results suggested that ginsenoside Rh2might induce Bel-7402cell apoptosis by the influence of Bax and Bcl-2expression. Ginsenoside Rh2effectively inhibited the proliferation of human hepatoma Bel-7402cells and induced apoptosis. Thus there was a wide application in the clinical treatment of liver cancer. The mechanism of which may involve the down-regulation of Bcl-2and the up-regulation of Bax.