Objective: To investigate the effects of Sodium Cantharidinate and Vitamin B6 injection (SCV) on proliferation and apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2

and to explore its underlying mechanism. Method: After treatment with different concentrations of SCV (0

1

5

10 mg· L-1) for different periods (12

24

48 h)

the proliferation of HepG2 cells was analyzed by MTT. The cell cycle and apoptosis rate were detected by flow cytometry (FCM). The protein levels of protein kinase B(Akt)

phosphate Akt(pAkt)

Bcl-2 associated x protein(Bax)

B cell lymphoma/leuremia-2(Bcl-2) and p21 were detected by Western blot. The mRNA levels of Bax

Bcl-2 and p21 were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Result: SCV significantly inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells. Those effects were in a time and dose-dependent manners. SCV induced an increase in the percentage of G0/G1 phase cells and a decrease in the percentage of S phase cells accompanied by the change in DNA ploidy(P<0.05). The levels of Bax and p21 mRNA expression in HepG2 cells was significantly up-regulated after treatment with SCV (P<0.05)

while the expression level of Bcl-2 mRNA was down-regulated. The expression levels of pAkt and Bcl-2 proteins were down-regulated

while that of Bax and p21 protein was up-regulated(P<0.05). Conclusion: SCV could inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2.PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and the related downstream targets are involved in those processes.