Anti-tumor Properties of Picrasma quassioides Extracts in H-Ras ^G12V Liver Cancer Are Mediated Through ROS-dependent Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Background: Picrasma quassioides (PQ) is a traditional Asian herbal medicine with anti-tumor properties that can inhibit the viability of HepG2 liver cancer cells. H-Ras is often mutated in liver cancer, however, the effect of PQ treatment on H-Ras mutated liver cancer is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the role of PQ on ROS accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction in H-ras mutated HepG2 (HepG2^G12V) cells.

Materials and methods: PQ ethanol extract-induced HepG2^G12V apoptosis was analyzed by the MTT assay, fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry and western blotting.

Results: PQ treatment affected cell migration and colony formation in HepG2^G12V cells. Cleaved-caspase-3, cleaved-caspase-9 and BCL2 associated agonist of cell death (BAD) expression levels were increased, while the levels of B-cell lymphoma-extra large (Bcl-xL) were decreased with PQ treatment. PQ treatment led to a reduction of H-Ras expression levels in liver cancer cells, thus reducing their abnormal proliferation. Furthermore, it led to increased expression levels of Peroxiredoxin VI, which regulates the redox signal in cells.

Conclusion: Taken together these results provide a new functional significance for the role of PQ in treating HepG2^G12V liver cancer.

Keywords: Liver cancer; Picrasma quassioides; ROS; mitochondria.