Rosa roxburghii Tratt fruit polysaccharides inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in human cervical cancer cell...

Cervical cancer remains a major malignancy seriously threatening women's health. Rosa roxburghii Tratt fruit polysaccharides (RTFP), a natural extract possessing diverse biological activities, can inhibit tumors through mechanisms such as inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. However, the potential effects of RTFP on cervical cancer and the associated molecular mechanisms remain incompletely elucidated. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of RTFP sourced on the proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of human cervical cancer cell line.

Cell viability was assessed using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. HeLa cells were treated with RTFP at concentrations of 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 mg/mL for 24, 48, and 72 h. Cell migration and invasion were evaluated using scratch wound healing and Transwell assays, respectively, after exposure to RTFP (3 and 6 mg/mL) for 24 and 48 h. For cell cycle and apoptosis analysis, cells treated with RTFP (3 and 6 mg/mL) for 48 h were analyzed by flow cytometry. The messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression levels of cell cycle regulators (CDK-1 and cyclin B1) and apoptosis-related markers (Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9) were quantified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot, respectively, following 48 h of treatment with RTFP (3 and 6 mg/mL). All experiments were performed in three independent replicates (n=3), and data are presented as mean ± standard deviation (SD).

RTFP inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HeLa cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner (P<0.01). It induced cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase (P<0.01) and downregulated the protein expression of CDK-1 and cyclin B1 (P<0.05). Additionally, RTFP promoted apoptosis through modulating apoptosis-related proteins: it upregulated the pro-apoptotic proteins Bax, caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9 (P<0.05), while downregulated the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 (P<0.01).

RTFP inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HeLa cells, arrests the cell cycle at the G2/M phase, and induces apoptosis. These in vitro findings preliminarily demonstrate the potential anti-cervical cancer activity of RTFP in HeLa cells, warranting further in-depth investigations.