Scopoletin의 간암세포에 대한 고사 유도 효과 및 기전 연구

Abstract

Scopoletin (6-methoxy-7-hydroxycoumarin) is a phenolic coumarin and a member of the phytoalexins. In this study we investigated whether scopoletin causes apoptosis in human hepatoma HepG2 cells and, if so, by what mechanisms. We report that scopoletin induced apoptosis as confirmed by a chromatin condensation. The signal cascade acivated by scopoletin included the activation of caspase-3 as evidenced by increased protease activity. Activation of caspase-3 resulted in the cleavage of 116 kDa poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) to 85 kDa cleavage product in a dose-dependent fashion. Also, scopoletin-induced apoptotic mechanism of HepG2 cells involved the generation of hydrogen peroxide. Taken together, these results suggest that scopoletin induces hydrogen peroxide generation, which, in turn, causes activation of caspase-3, degradation of PARP, and eventually leads to apoptotic cell death in HepG2 cells.