PJB-2024-546
Rumex nervosus Vahl induces apoptosis and suppresses VEGFA in hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells
Abdulrahman Alasmari
Abstract
This study investigates the apoptotic and anti-angiogenic role of Rumex nervosus (R. nervosus) ethanol extraction on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cell. The MTT test confirmed the cytotoxicity nature of R. nervosus with an IC50 value of 14µg/mL, while the trypan blue exclusion assay further demonstrated the induction of apoptotic cells. The fluorescence staining test revealed that dead bodies by AO/EtBr and DCFH-DA analysis enumerated the accumulation of ROS in HepG2 cells. Additionally, R. nervosus treatment compromised mitochondrial function, as indicated by Rho-123 staining, and caused loss of nuclear integrity, evidenced by Hoechst 33342 staining. FDA staining further confirmed reduced cell viability due to diminished esterase activity Functional assays, including colony formation, invasion, and migration, showed a significant reduction in cell mobility, invasion capability, and colony-forming potential following R. nervosus exposure. qRT-PCR analysis elucidated the upregulation of pro-apoptotic genes (such as caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, and cytochrome c), along with downregulation of anti-apoptotic genes like Bcl-2. Western blot analysis validated the downregulation of VEGFA, HIF-1α, and p-Akt, and the upregulation of cleaved PARP and cytochrome c. Altogether, R. nervosus induces apoptosis and angiogenesis suppression in HepG2 cells through the arrest Pi3K/Akt pathway by augmenting the ROS generation with loss in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). These findings suggest that R. nervosus holds potential as a therapeutic agent for hepatocellular carcinoma
To Cite this article:
Alasmari, A. 2025. Rumex nervosus Vahl induces apoptosis and suppresses VEGFA in hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells. Pak. J. Bot., 57(5): DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30848/PJB2025-5(20)
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