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Cancer Cell International
Published in: Cancer Cell International 1/2014

Open Access 01-12-2014 | Primary research

Berberine-induced apoptotic and autophagic death of HepG2 cells requires AMPK activation

Authors: Rong Yu, Zhi-qing Zhang, Bin Wang, Hong-xin Jiang, Lei Cheng, Li-ming Shen

Published in: Cancer Cell International | Issue 1/2014

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Abstract

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the primary liver cancer, is one of the most malignant human tumors with extremely poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-cancer effect of berberine in a human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (HepG2), and to study the underlying mechanisms by focusing on the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling cascade.

Results

We found that berberine induced both apoptotic and autophagic death of HepG2 cells, which was associated with a significant activation of AMPK and an increased expression of the inactive form of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). Inhibition of AMPK by RNA interference (RNAi) or by its inhibitor compound C suppressed berberine-induced caspase-3 cleavage, apoptosis and autophagy in HepG2 cells, while AICAR, the AMPK activator, possessed strong cytotoxic effects. In HepG2 cells, mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) activation was important for cell survival, and berberine inhibited mTORC1 via AMPK activation.

Conclusions

Together, these results suggested that berberine-induced both apoptotic and autophagic death requires AMPK activation in HepG2 cells.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Berberine-induced apoptotic and autophagic death of HepG2 cells requires AMPK activation
Authors
Rong Yu
Zhi-qing Zhang
Bin Wang
Hong-xin Jiang
Lei Cheng
Li-ming Shen
Publication date
01-12-2014
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Cancer Cell International / Issue 1/2014
Electronic ISSN: 1475-2867
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2867-14-49

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