The Pro-Apoptotic Activity of Tamarixetin on Liver Cancer Cells Via Regulation Mitochondrial Apoptotic Pathway.

Based on the various pharmacological activities of tamarixetin, the present study investigated the cytotoxicity property of tamarixetin in human liver cancer cells including PLC/PRF/5 and HepG2 cells, and their xenografted tumor nude mice. In cells, tamarixetin incubation resulted in the suppression on cell viability; enhanced cell apoptosis rate, LDH release, caspase-3 activation, and reactive oxygen species accumulation; and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential in a dose-dependent manner. Tamarixetin inhibited the growth of PLC/PRF/5- and HepG2-xenografted tumors in BALB/c nude mice after 14-day administration without influencing their bodyweights and organ functions including liver and spleen. Tamarixetin enhanced the expression levels of pro-apoptotic proteins including Bax and cleaved caspase-3 and inhibited the expression levels of anti-apoptotic proteins including Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL in liver cancer cells and their xenografted tumor tissues. Furthermore, tamarixetin significantly suppressed the phosphorylation of ERKs and AKT in both PLC/PRF/5 and HepG2 cells, and tumor tissues. All present data suggest that tamarixetin displays pro-apoptotic properties in liver cancer cells related to the mitochondria apoptotic pathway via regulating the ERKs and AKT signaling.