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Updated: Jan 26, 2026

Induction and Testing of Hypoxia in Cell Culture
Published on: August 12, 2011
Hypoxia protects against the cell death triggered by oxovanadium-galactomannan complexes in HepG2 cells
Monique Meyenberg Cunha-de Padua1,2,3, Guilhermina Rodrigues Noleto1, Carmen Lucia de Oliveira Petkowicz1
11Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, Brazil.
Background:
Polysaccharides from various sources have been used in traditional medicine for centuries. The beneficial pharmacological effects of plant-derived polysaccharides include anti-tumor activity.
Methods:
Here, we evaluated the anti-cancer effect of the MSAGM:VO complex under hypoxic conditions (1% oxygen). MSAGM:VO is a complex of the hydrolysate of galactomannan (MSAGM) from Schizolobium amazonicum with oxovanadium (IV/V). The hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line HepG2 was selected as HCC are one of the most hypoxic solid tumors.
Results:
Our results showed that the strong apoptotic activity of MSAGM:VO observed in HepG2 cells under normoxic conditions was completely lost under hypoxic conditions. We found a dynamic balance between the pro- and anti-apoptotic members of the Bcl-2 protein family. The expressions of anti-apoptotic Mcl-1 and Bcl-XL increased in hypoxia, whereas the expression of pro-apoptotic Bax decreased. MSAGM:VO strongly induced autophagy, which was previously characterized as a pro-survival mechanism in hypoxia. These results demonstrate total elimination of the anti-cancer activity of MSAGM:VO with activation of autophagy under conditions of hypoxia.
Conclusion:
Although this study is a proof-of-concept of the impact of hypoxia on the potential of polysaccharides, further study is encouraged. The anti-tumor activity of polysaccharides could be achieved in normoxia or through raising the activity of the immune system. In addition, combination strategies for therapy with anti-autophagic drugs could be proposed.
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