Objectives. The Chinese herbal medicine
Da-Cheng-Qi decoction can regulate a
necrosis-apoptosis switch in injured pancreatic acinar cells. This study investigated the effects of
rhein, a component of this medicine, on a
necrosis-apoptosis switch in pancreatic rat AR42J cells. Methods.
Cerulein-treated AR42J cells were used. After pretreatment with 479, 119.8, or 29.9 μ g/L
rhein, cells were cocultured with
rhein and
cerulein (10(-8) M) for 4, 8, or 16 h. Apoptosis and
necrosis were examined using
annexin V and
propidium iodide costaining. Mitochondria-dependent apoptosis-associated
proteins were examined using
enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assays and western blotting. Results. Few cells died in untreated samples. The number was significantly higher in 16-h-cerulein-treated samples and treatment with 479 μ g/L
rhein most effectively increased the apoptotic-to-necrotic cell ratio (P < 0.05). In
cerulein-treated cells,
rhein increased the concentrations of p53,
cytochrome C, and
caspase-3, and increased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in a time- and dose-dependent manner, with the maximum effect in cells treated with 479 μ g/L
rhein for 16 h (P < 0.05). Conclusions.
Rhein induces the
necrosis-apoptosis switch in injured pancreatic acinar cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Mitochondria-dependent apoptosis signaling pathways might play an important role in this effect.