Dieckol, isolated from Ecklonia stolonifera, induces apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma Hep3B cells.

Phlorotannins have been reported to demonstrate several biological properties, including antioxidant activity, and activities useful in the treatment of diabetic complications and in chemoprevention of several vascular diseases. In this study, we focused on the apoptosis induced by dieckol, a marine algal phlorotannin isolated from Ecklonia stolonifera, on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) Hep3B cells. Dieckol reduced the numbers of viable cells and increased the numbers of apoptotic cells in a dose-dependent manner. Immunoblotting analysis revealed that dieckol increased the expression levels of cleaved caspases-3, 7, 8, and 9, and cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. Dieckol increased the permeability of mitochondrial membranes and the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytosol with apoptosis-inducing factor. In addition, dieckol induced increased expression of truncated Bid and Bim. The results indicate that dieckol induces apoptosis via the activation of both death receptor and mitochondrial-dependent pathways in HCC Hep3B cells.