Quercetin Induces Antiproliferative Activity Against Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HepG2) Cells by Suppressing Specificity Protein 1 (Sp1)

• Published in: Drug development research Vol. 76; no. 1; pp. 9 - 16
• Main Authors: Lee, Ra Ham, Cho, Jin Hyoung, Jeon, Young-Joo, Bang, Woong, Cho, Jung-Jae, Choi, Nag-Jin, Seo, Kang Seok, Shim, Jung-Hyun, Chae, Jung-Il
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.02.2015; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: antiproliferative; Apoptosis; Cell cycle; Cell growth; human hepatocellular carcinoma; Liver cancer; Proteins; quercetin; specificity protein 1; apoptosis; quercetin; antiproliferative; specificity protein 1; human hepatocellular carcinoma
• ISSN: 0272-4391; 1098-2299
• DOI: 10.1002/ddr.21235

ABSTRACT Preclinical Research Quercetin, found in red onions and red apple skin can induce apoptosis insome malignant cells. However, the apoptotic effect of quercetin in hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells via regulation of specificity protein 1 (Sp1) has not been studied. Here, we demonstrated that quercetin decreased cell growth and induce apoptosis in HepG2 cells via suppression of Sp1 using 3‐(4,5‐dimethyl‐2‐yl)‐5‐(3‐carboxymethoxyphenyl)‐2‐(4‐sulfophenyl)‐2H‐tetrazolium, inner salt (MTS) assay, 4′,6‐diamidino‐2‐phenylindole (DAPI) staining, Annexin V, and Western blot analysis, an effect that was dose‐ and time‐dependent manner. Treatment of HepG2 cells with quercetin reduced cell growth and induced apoptosis, followed by regulation of Sp1 and Sp1 regulatory protein. Taken together, the results suggest that quercetin can induce apoptotic cell death by regulating cell cycle and suppressing antiapoptotic proteins. Therefore, quercetin may be useful for cancer prevention. Drug Dev Res 76 : 9–16, 2015