Fucoidan induces apoptosis of HepG2 cells by down-regulating p-Stat3.

Fucoidan is one of the main bioactive components of polysaccharides. The current study was focused on the anti-tumor effects of fucoidan on human heptoma cell line HepG2 and the possible mechanisms. Fucoidan treatment resulted in cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner detected by MTT assay, flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy.

Germacrone induces apoptosis in human hepatoma HepG2 cells through inhibition of the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway.

Previous studies have shown that STAT3 plays a vital role in the genesis and progression of cancer. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway and germacrone-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells. HepG2 cells were incubated with germacrone for 24 h, the protein expression of p-STAT3, STAT3, p-JAK2 and JAK2 was detected by Western Blotting, and RT-PCR was used to determine the expression of STAT3, p53, Bcl-2 and Bax at transcriptional levels.

Low copy number gene transfer and stable expression in a commercial wheat cultivar via particle bombardment.

Two groups of linear gene constructs (gus and bar, and 1Ax1 and bar) lacking vector backbone sequences were independently transferred into the elite wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) variety EM12, and genetically stable transgenic plants with low copy number transgene integration were recovered. Co-transformation experiments were carried out in parallel using either circular whole plasmid(s) or linear gene cassettes which were purified from the same plasmid by restrictive digestion, each cassette consisting of a promoter, an open reading frame, and a terminator.