Gecko Active Components Regulates Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress to Induce the Apoptosis of KYSE150 Cells through PERK Pathway

Abstract

Objective: Gecko active components (GACs), extracted from the powder of whole Gecko, have been reported to be effective against esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERs) has been regarded as an important cause for pathogenesis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). In this paper, we aimed to study the effect of GACS on apoptosis of human esophageal carcinoma KYSE150 cells and to analyze the underlying signaling pathway. Methods: MTT assay was used to detect the viability of KYSE150 cells, and Flow cytometry was applied to detect reactive oxygen species (ROS), calcium generation, and the level of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Western blot analysis was applied to observe the expression of apoptosis-related proteins and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERs)-related proteins in KYSE150 cells. Results: The results showed that GACs inhibited KYSE150 cell vitality in a dose-and time-dependent manner. Not only that, GACs could up-regulated ERs-related and apoptosis-related proteins expression, and the content of ROS and calcium were significantly increased, and also, the level of MMP was significantly decreased. Conclusion: The results of this report suggested that induction of apoptosis occurs through the ERs dependent signaling pathways.