Gentiopicrin exerts anticancer effect on human colon cancer cells via caspase-dependent apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and inhibition of cell migration and invasion

Purpose: To investigate the anticancer effect of gentiopicrin on human colon cancer (HT-295) cells, and its effects on caspase-mediated cellular apoptosis, cell cycle, cell migration and cell invasion. Methods: MTT assay and clonogenic assay were used to study the effect of gentiopicrin on cell viability and cancer colony formation, respectively, while the apoptotic effects of gentiopicrin were determined using fluorescence microscopy and Western blotting. The effect of gentiopicrin on cell cycle was evaluated by flow cytometry, while Transwell assay was used to study its effects on cell migration and invasion. Results: Gentiopicrin exerted potent and dose-dependent suppression of cell proliferation and colony formation, and produced pro-apoptotic effects on HT-295 colon cancer cells. Treatment of HT-295 cells with gentiopicrin resulted in up-regulated expressions of caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9 and Bax, while Bcl-2 expression was downregulated. Moreover, gentiopicrin dose-dependently induced cell cycle arrest in HT-295 cells at the G2/M phase, and inhibited cell migration and invasion. Conclusion: Gentiopicrin exerts potent anticancer effects on human colon cancer cells via cell apoptosis and G2/M phase cell cycle arrest. In addition, it suppressed the migration and invasion of HT-295 cells. These findings provide useful basis for further in vivo research of gentiopicrin on colon cancer