Sesamin Induces Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis through the Inhibition of Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 Signalling in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Line HepG2

Pengyi Deng; Chen Wang; Liulin Chen; Cheng Wang; Yuhan Du; Xu Yan; Mingjie Chen; Guangxiao Yang; Guangyuan He

doi:10.1248/bpb.b13-00235

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Sesamin Induces Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis through the Inhibition of Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 Signalling in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Line HepG2

Pengyi Deng, Chen Wang, Liulin Chen, Cheng Wang, Yuhan Du, Xu Yan, Mingjie Chen, Guangxiao Yang, Guangyuan He

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Pengyi Deng
The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology (HUST)
Chen Wang
The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology (HUST)
Liulin Chen
The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology (HUST)
Cheng Wang
The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology (HUST)
Yuhan Du
The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology (HUST)
Xu Yan
The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology (HUST)
Mingjie Chen
The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology (HUST)
Guangxiao Yang
The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology (HUST)
Guangyuan He Corresponding author
The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology (HUST)

Keywords: sesamin, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, HepG2 cell, cell cycle, apoptosis

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2013 Volume 36 Issue 10 Pages 1540-1548

DOI https://doi.org/10.1248/bpb.b13-00235

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Abstract

Sesamin, one of the most abundant lignans in sesame seeds, has been shown to exhibit various pharmacological effects. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether sesamin promotes cell cycle arrest and induces apoptosis in HepG2 cells and further to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. Here, we found that sesamin inhibited HepG2 cell growth by inducing G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis. Furthermore, sesamin suppressed the constitutive and interleukin (IL)-6-induced signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signalling pathway in HepG2 cells, leading to regulate the downstream genes, including p53, p21, cyclin proteins and the Bcl-2 protein family. Our studies showed that STAT3 signalling played a key role in sesamin-induced G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis in HepG2 cells. These findings provided a molecular basis for understanding of the effects of sesamin in hepatocellular carcinoma tumour cell proliferation. Therefore, sesamin may thus be a potential chemotherapy drug for liver cancer.

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