The objective of this study was to observe the apoptosis-inducing effect and mechanism of
baicalin on human
cervical cancer HeLa cells. The inhibitory effect of
baicalin on the growth of HeLa cells was measured by MTT assay, and cell proliferation and migration was analyzed by cell scratch assay. Morphological changes of apoptotic cells were viewed by the light microscope and electron microscope, and cell growth arrest was confirmed by flow cytometry. Moreover, Western blot was used for investigating the expression of apoptosis related
proteins; spectrophotometry was used to examine
Caspase-3 activation. Our results showed that
baicalin could inhibit the proliferation of HeLa Cells via induction of apoptosis in a time and dose-dependent manner (P<0.01). Apoptotic signaling induced by
baicalin was characterized by up-regulating Bax, Fas, FasL and
Caspase-8 protein expression, and down-regulating of Bcl-2
protein expression. These results indicated that
baicalin-induced apoptosis involved activation
Caspase-3 in HeLa cells through the intracellular mitochondrial pathway and the surface
death receptor pathway.