Lane 1: control (untreated), lane 2: Z-DEVD-FMK (10 μmol/L), lane 3: SB203580 (10 μmol/L), lane 4: treated with DADS (100 μmol/L) after being treated with SB203580 (10 μmol/L) for 30 min lane 5: treated with DADS (100 μmol/L) after being treated with Z-DEVD-FMK (10 μmol/L) for 30 min, lane6: DADS (100 μmol/L). Cells viability was determined by MTT assay as described in Materials and Methods. Data are expressed as mean ± S.D and evaluated by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results are representative of three replicates (P < 0.01). Flow-cytometric analysis of apoptosis The results of flow cytometry analysis

showed, the rate of SB203580-DADS group and SB203580-Z-DEVD-FMK group Stattic concentration was 18.98% and 17.45% respectively, 1.86% of control group, 8.50% when treated with SB203580 (10 μmol/L), 6.02% when Vactosertib clinical trial treated with Z-DEVD-FMK (10 μmol/L), and 25.23% when treated with DADS (Figure 2). These results suggested that inhibitors of P38MAPK and caspase-3 both had

obvious effect of inhibiting apoptosis (Figure 3). Figure 2 Effects of each group on apoptosis in in human HepG2 cells. A. Control (untreated), B. Z-DEVD-FMK (10 μmol/L), C. SB203580 (10 μmol/L), D. treated with DADS (100 μmol/L) after being treated with SB203580 (10 μmol/L) for 30 min, E. treated with DADS (100 μmol/L) after being treated with selleckchem Z-DEVD-FMK (10 μmol/L) for 30 min, F. DADS (100 umol/L). Results are representative of three replicates (P < 0.01). Figure 3 Results of the flow cytometry

analysis. Data are expressed as mean ± S.D and evaluated by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results are representative of three independent experiment. Western-blot analysis After various treatment for 24 h, the zymogen bands of caspase-3 treated with DADS (100 μmol/L) became thinner significantly compared with the control gtoup, proving that DADS could advance the activity of caspase-3; after treated with SB203580 (10 μmol/L) and Z-DEVD-FMK (10 μmol/L) respectively, the zymogen bands of caspase-3 became thicker significantly compared with treated with DADS (100 μmol/L), but compared with the DADS (100 μmol/L) group that 30 minutes ahead of schedule by adding inhibitor, the band is only slightly thinner (Figure 4). Figure 4 Effects of each group on the protein expressions by Western blot. Lane 1: control (untreated), lane 2: treated with DADS (100 μmol/L) after being treated with SB203580 (10 μmol/L) for 30 min, lane 3: SB203580 (10 μmol/L), lane 4: Z-DEVD-FMK (10 μmol/L), lane 5: treated with DADS (100 μmol/L) after being treated with Z-DEVD-FMK (10 μmol/L) for 30 min, lane6: DADS (100 μmol/L). The results are representative of three independent experiment.