Ethanol Extract of Dianthus chinensis L. Induces Apoptosis in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma HepG2 Cells In Vitro

Figure 5

Caspase inhibition prevents EDCL-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells. Cells were incubated in the presence or absence of z-vad-fmk for 1 h before being exposed to EDCL (180 μg/mL). (a) After 48 h of incubation with EDCL, cell viability was assessed using the CCK-8 assay and (b) caspase activity was measured. (c) Hoechst staining shows EDCL-induced chromatin condensation (arrow). Magnification, ×400. (d) Cells were subjected to Western blot analysis using anti-PARP and anti-c-PARP antibodies. (e) Cells were evaluated for sub-G1 DNA content by flow cytometry. The data are expressed as the means ± SD of triplicate samples. *𝑃<0.05, **𝑃<0.01, and ***𝑃<0.001 versus EDCL+z-vad-fmk.

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