Xiaoyou decoction promotes apoptosis and alters inflammatory factor levels in cervical precancerous cells by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signalling pathway

Objectives

To investigate the underlying mechanism of Xiaoyou decoction (XYD) in inducing apoptosis and modulating the inflammatory response in human immortalised cervical epithelial H8 cells through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/Nf-kappaB (NF-κB) signalling pathway.

Methods

H8 cells in logarithmic growth phase were treated with blank medium, recombinant human interferon α-2b (13 000 IU/mL), oxymatrine (4.80 mg/mL), and XYD (2.80 mg/mL) for 48 hours. Subsequently, cell counting kit-8 assay, flow cytometry apoptosis assay, acridine orange hydrochloride and Hoechst double staining, western blot, and Quantitative Real-time-PCR were performed to assess apoptosis, inflammation, and key pathway-related indices in each group.

Results

In vitro experiments revealed that all treatments, including XYD and the control groups, exerted some degree of growth inhibition on H8 cells. However, XYD displayed the most significant inhibitory effect. Western blot and Quantitative Real-time-PCR analyses confirmed that XYD promoted apoptosis in H8 cells by suppressing the activation of the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. Furthermore, it modulated the levels of inflammatory and immune-related factors in H8 cells by inhibiting the activation of the NF-κB signalling pathway.

Conclusions

This study validates the molecular mechanism of XYD in promoting apoptosis and suppressing the inflammatory response in H8 cells by inhibiting the activation of the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signalling pathway.