Effect of Camptothecin and its Derivatives on Proliferation of Liver Tumor Cell SMMC-7721

Determinations were performed by CCK-8 method, fluorescent quantitative PCR (RT-PCR), Western blot and reactive oxygen species (ROS) on effect of camptothecin (CPT) and its derivatives like 10-hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) and irinotecan hydrochloride (CPT-11) on proliferation of liver cancer cell SMMC-7721. The result showed that SMMC-7721 were significantly inhibited after 24 and 48 hours of exposure to CPT-11 and HCPT (40 μg/mL and 80 μg/mL) (P<0.05). Apoptosis detection indicated that SMMC-772 was concentration-dependent. RT-PCR showed that the mRNA expression of catalase gene (CAT) and superoxide dismutase gene (SOD1) decreased significantly (P<0.05). Western blot analysis confirmed that CAT and SOD1 protein expression was down-regulated, the same result of RT-PCR detection. ROS test demonstrated that CPT/HCPT/CPT-11 significantly promoted the generation of ROS (P<0.05). Therefore, CPT/HCPT/CPT-11 could down-regulate the expression of CAT and SOD1, inhibit cell proliferation.