Aim: Apocynum venetum polyphenol (AVP) was used in in vitro glioma cells culture to prove the growth inhibitory effect of AVP on human U87 glioma cells via NF-κB pathway. Materials & methods: The MTT assay, DAPI morphology, quantitative PCR and western blot experiments were used for determination in vitro. Results & conclusion: AVP can also induce U87 cancer cells apoptosis illustrated by DAPI morphology. AVP could enhance the mRNA and protein expression of IκB-α, TNF-α, TRAIL, caspase-3 and caspase-9 in U87 cancer cells and reduce those of NF-κBp65, cIAP-1, cIAP-2, TGF-β2, CyclinD1, VEGF and IL-8. After ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) treatment, the NF-κBp65 expression was reduced in U87 cells, and AVP could raise these effects. The results of HPLC indicate that AVP mainly contains six constituents. The growth inhibitory effects of AVP on U87 glioma cells are predominantly from these natural active constituents.
Keywords: Apocynum venetum; NF-κB; U87 cells; apoptosis; polyphenol.