Abstract

This study is to investigate the effect of rhein lysinate on inducing human breast cancer cell line SK-Br-3 apoptosis and the role of HER-2 signal pathway in the apoptosis. MTT assay was used to detect SK-Br-3 cell proliferation. Cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. The protein expression and the protein phosphorylation of HER-2 signal pathway were detected by Western blotting. The level of HER-2 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR and the level of HER-2 expression was also detected by immunofluorescence cytochemical methods. The results showed that rhein lysinate remarkably inhibited breast cancer SK-Br-3 cell proliferation. The IC50 value for 48 h treatment was 85 micromol x L(-1). Apoptosis in SK-Br-3 cells was induced by rhein lysinate in a dose dependent manner. The protein expressions of HER-2, NF-KB, and the protein phosphorylation of HER-2 were downregulated, however the protein expression of p53 and p21 was upregulated after rhein lysinate treatment. The level of HER-2 mRNA decreased by using RT-PCR assay and the level of HER-2 expression was also decreased by using immunofluorescence cytochemical assay after rhein lysinate treatment. It can be concluded that rhein lysinate could inhibit SK-Br-3 cell proliferation and induce apoptosis. HER-2/NF-kappaB/p53/p21 signal pathway might be involved in this process. Rhein lysinate has a good prospect to be an adjuvant chemotherapeutic drug.