Baicalein suppresses the proliferation of human cervical cancer cells via Notch 1/Hes signaling pathway.

Baicalein is an active compound extracted from the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis georgi, which is widely and traditionally used in the anticancer therapy. Notch signaling pathway is usually abnormally activated in kinds of human cancers. The aim of the present study is to investigate the antitumor effects of baicalein in human cervical cancer and explore whether baicalein treatment affects notch signaling pathway in human cervical cancers. Cervical cancer cells were treated with increasing concentrations of baicalein for 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to determine cell viability of cervical cancer cells. The apoptosis rate was determined by FACS assay. Furthermore, the molecular mechanism was investigated. The expression levels of Notch 1, Notch 2, Notch 3, hairy enhancer of split-1 (Hes-1), and Hes-5 were determined by western blotting analysis. MTT assay results revealed that baicalein inhibited cell proliferation of HeLa cells and SiHa cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The data from FACS assay demonstrated that baicalein-induced cell apoptosis of cervical cancer cells at the final concentration of 100 μM for 24 h. Furthermore, baicalein treatment downregulated Notch 1/Hes-1, Hes-5 signaling pathway, and there was no obvious change on the expression of Notch 2 and Notch 3. Baicalein inhibited the proliferation of human cervical cancer cells via Notch 1/Hes signaling Pathway. The study would provide some new clues in the clinical therapy of human cervical cancers.