Objectives:

2

To explore the effect of

Pollen Pini

(PP) on SMMC-7721 hepatoma cells.

Methods:

2

The anti-proliferative effects of PP on SMMC-7721 cells were evaluated using cell counting kit-8 assay following 48 h treatment with concentrations ranging from 1.25 to 37.50 μg/μL. Flow cytometry analysis at the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC

50

) revealed significant apoptosis induction and cell cycle alterations. For

in vivo

evaluation

SMMC-7721 xenograft-bearing nude mice were administered either vehicle (0.9% NaCl) or PP(500 mg/kg) via intraperitoneal injection every other day for 3 weeks. Subsequent tumor analysis included mass spectrometry-based proteomics and examination of phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/Myc pathway proteins by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Combination therapy with 25 μmol/L PI3K inhibitor and PP (IC

50

) showed optimal efficacy

with Western blot revealing maximal protein modulation at 24 h.

Results:

2

PP had an anti-tumor effect on SMMC-7721 cells

in vitro

with the IC

50

concentration of 18.94 mg/mL. PP could promote the death of SMMC-7721 cells (

P

<

0.01) and regulate the cell cycle more in G

0

/G

1

phase cells (

P

<

0.01). After the treatment effect of PP

the protein content of SMMC-7721 cells changed and the contents of cancer-promoting proteins PI3K

Akt and Myc decreased (

P

<

0.01). PI3K inhibitor could reduce the proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells

and PI3K inhibitor combined with PP significantly re

duced the expression of PI3K in SMMC-7721 cells(

P

<

0.01).

Conclusion:

2

PP has an anti-tumor effect on SMMC-7721 cells through the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway.