Abieslactone Induces Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in Human Hepatocellular Carcinomas through the Mitochondrial Pathway and the Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species
Figure 2
Abieslactone-induced apoptosis in HepG2 and SMMC7721 cells.
(A) Apoptosis was evaluated using an annexin V-FITC apoptosis detection kit and flow cytometry. The X- and Y-axes represent annexin V-FITC staining and PI, respectively. The representative pictures are from HepG2 and SMMC7721 cells incubated with different concentrations of abieslactone or caspase inhibitor (Z-VAD-FMK 20 µM). (B) Abieslactone induced apoptosis in HepG2 and SMMC7721 cells in a dose dependent manner. Z-VAD-FMK markedly reduced apoptosis in HepG2 and SMMC7721 cells treated with high-dose abieslactone. The data are expressed as the means ± SEM of three independent experiments with the similar results. *P<0.05; **P<0.01 vs. the untreated control.