Objective: To investigate the effect of β-elmene on the growth of human hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells and the effect on microtubular. Method: Proliferation of HepG2 cells was evaluated by MTT assay. Cell cycle of HepG2 cells was analyzed by flow cytometry.The expression and distribution of microtubule in HepG2 cells were investigated by confocal microscopy. The mRNA expression of β-tubulin was detected by RT-PCR. Immunoblotting analysis was used to determine protein expression of β-tubulin and the proportion of polymerization of tubulin. Result: β-elmene inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner

and induce tumor arrested cells at S-phase.Confocal microscopy showed an abnormal microtubular network in HepG2 cell treated with β-elmene. RT-PCR and Western-blot analysis showed that β-elmene down-regulated β-tublin at both mRNA and protein level. The mRNA expression of β-tubulin in the observed groups were lower than that in the control group and presented a dose-dependent manner. Further analysis by immunoblotting confirmed the down-regulation of β-elmene on the expression for β-tubulin in a dose-dependent manner.Moreover

β-elmene reduced the proportion of polymerization of microtubule in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: β-elmene could inhibit the proliferation of HepG2 cells

down-regulation of the expression of β-tubulin and inhibit the microtubular polymerization might be one of mechanism that β-elmene contribute to growth inhibition of HepG2 cell.