Orostachys japonicus (O. japonicus) is utilized as a traditional medicine for patients with various diseases. This study investigated the effect of the ethyl acetate fraction from O. japonicus extract (OJE) on the growth inhibition of OVCAR-3 human ovarian cancer cells demonstrated to inhibit cell growth and arrest the cell cycle in OVCAR-3 cells by blocking the sub-G1 phase and decreasing cyclin E1/CDK2 expression. Cell cycle arrest was connected to the increased expression of the cell cycle regulating factors p53 and p21. Apoptosis was initiated through the intrinsic pathway by up-regulating the expression of the Bcl-2/Bax ratio and down-regulating the expression of pro-caspase-3. Furthermore, OJE treatment elicited p-p38 activation and p-ERK1/2 inhibition. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that OJE reduced the growth of OVCAR-3 human ovarian cancer cells mediated by arrest of the cell cycle and regulation of MAPK signaling pathways.
Keywords: Orostachys japonicus; apoptosis; cell cycle; ovarian cancer cells.