β-Elemene Inhibits Cell Proliferation by Regulating the Expression and Activity of Topoisomerases I and IIα in Human Hepatocarcinoma HepG-2 Cells

Figure 2

The role of β-ELE (β-Elemene) in cell morphological changes (×40). Figure 2 shows that β-ELE plays a role in the morphological changes of HepG-2 cells, as observed under an optical inverted microscope. (a) shows the control group, which is without β-ELE. (b)–(f) show cells exposed to different concentrations of β-ELE (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 μg/mL, resp.). Compared with the normal cells, the treated cells were markedly shrunken, the cell membrane was partially broken, and some cells showed necrolysis and partial karyopyknosis. These changes were more severe and more evident with increasing concentrations of β-ELE. The culture medium showed a large amount of cell debris and few intact cells when cells were treated with 100 μg/mL.

(a) Control group (×40)

(b) β-ELE 20 μg/mL (×40)

(c) β-ELE 40 μg/mL (×40)

(d) β-ELE 60 μg/mL (×40)

(e) β-ELE 80 μg/mL (×40)

(f) β-ELE 100 μg/mL (×40)