Poria Cocos Polysaccharide Triggers Mitochondrial-mediated Apoptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells through P53 and Bioenergetic Collapse

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of Poria cocos polysaccharide (PCP) on hepatocellular carcinoma cells SMMC-7721 and its potential mechanism. METHODS: We performed a series of in vitro experiments to evaluate the effects of PCP on hepatocellular carcinoma cells SMMC-7721. The effects of PCP on SMMC-7721 cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and related protein expression were evaluated by CCK-8 assay, AO/EB and DAPI fluorescent staining, cell scratch healing assay, Transwell assay, and protein immunoblotting assay. in vivo experiments in mice were performed to illustrate the effects of PCP on hepatocellular carcinoma in mice. RESULTS: PCP demonstrated significant efficacy against hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo, suppressing SMMC-7721 cells' proliferation, migration, and invasion, and inducing mitochondrial apoptosis via concomitant upregulation of P53, Bax, Caspase-3, Caspase-9, and Cytochrome c, and downregulation of Bcl-2, MMP-2, and MMP-9. DISCUSSION: Hepatocellular carcinoma cells (SMMC-7721) proliferation, migration, and invasion were markedly suppressed, and apoptosis was extensively induced, through modulation of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway by PCP, thereby conferring significant antitumor activity. CONCLUSION: This study provides an experimental basis for the application of PCP in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.