Paeonol triggers apoptosis in HeLa cervical cancer cells: the role of mitochondria-related caspase pathway

• DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-05811-0
• Publication Date: 2021-03-12T07:02:44Z
• Authors: Jikun Du; Daibo Song; Jinwen Li; Yuanhua Li; Baohong Li; Li Li
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; 03 medical and health sciences; Caspases; Acetophenones; Humans; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms; Apoptosis; Female; Reactive Oxygen Species; HeLa Cells; Mitochondria; 3. Good health

Paeonol is a biologically active component purified from the root bark of Cortex Moutan that exerts pharmacological effects on the cervical cancer. In this study, we aim to evaluate the anti-cervical cancer capacity of paeonol and to investigate the mechanism driving its anti-cervical cancer effect. Paeonol administration markedly restrained the proliferation and caused apoptosis in HeLa cells. Furthermore, paeonol treatment resulted in a mitochondrial dysfunction in HeLa cells, including the inducing of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and the release of cytochrome c. Moreover, the Bcl-2/Bax proportion was obviously downregulated and cleaved caspase-3 expression was evaluated through paeonol treatment. Additionally, the expression of p-PI3K and p-Akt was noticeably reduced in response to paeonol treatment in HeLa cells. Our findings indicated that paeonol exerts an anticancer potential in HeLa cells, at least in a manner, via triggering the mitochondrial pathway of cellular apoptosis by inhibiting PI3K/Akt signaling. Thus, paeonol has great potential as a promising therapeutic compound to resist human cervical cancer.