Molecular mechanisms of exopolysaccharide from Aphanothece halaphytica (EPSAH) induced apoptosis in HeLa cells

PLoS One. 2014 Jan 23;9(1):e87223. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087223. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

The present study aims to investigate the pharmacological effect of the exopolysaccharides from Aphanothece halophytica GR02 (EPSAH) on the HeLa human cervical cancer cell line. HeLa cells were cultured in RPMI-1640-10% FBS medium containing with or without different concentrations of EPSAH. Cell viability was assessed by methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Cell apoptosis was elevated with Wright-Giemsa staining, AO/EB double staining, and DNA fragmentation assay. Apoptosis-associated molecules from cultured HeLa cells were quantified using Western blot analysis. Our results suggest that EPASH induces apoptosis in HeLa cells by targeting a master unfolded protein response (UPR) regulator Grp78. Grp78 further promotes the expression of CHOP and downregulates expression of survivin, which leads to activate mitochondria-mediated downstream molecules and p53-survivin pathway, resulting in caspase-3 activation and causing apoptosis. These findings provide important clues for further evaluating the potential potency of EPSAH for use in cancer therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / metabolism
  • Blotting, Western
  • Caspases / metabolism
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cyanobacteria / growth & development
  • Cyanobacteria / metabolism*
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / drug effects*
  • Polysaccharides / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP
  • HSPA5 protein, human
  • Polysaccharides
  • Caspases

Grants and funding

This work was funded by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.