Composition of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides and their apoptosis-inducing effect on human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells

Figures & data

Table 1 Results of composition analysis and periodate oxidation of LBP-d and LBP-e

Sample	LBP-d	LBP-e
Protein (%)^a	2.1±0.2	3.1±0.1
Neutral sugars (%)^a	71.2±2.3	67.3±2.8
Uronic acid (%)^a	16.0±0.3	23.2±0.4
Consumption of periodate oxidation (µmol)^a	75.4	56.8
Generation of formic acid (µmol)^a	12.1	8.1
Sugar composition (mol%)^a
Fucose	19.6	5.5
Ribose	1.5	Not detected
Rhamnose	28.9	8.8
Arabinose	6.3	1.7
Xylose	1.6	Not detected
Glucose	6.2	35.2
Mannose	21.5	3.4
Galactose	14.3	45.4

^aData are shown as mean±standard deviation, n=3. LBP, Lycium barbarum polysaccharide.

Fig. 1 Gas chromatographs of Smith degradation of LBP-d and LBP-e. a: LBP-d, b: LBP-e. 1: Glycerol, 2: erythritol, 3: fucose, 4: arabinose, 5: glucose, 6: mannose, 7: galactose.

Table 2 Inhibition activities of LBP-d and LBP-e on SMMC-7721 cells

	Time (d)	Concentration (mg L^−1)	n	Inhibition ratio (%)
		400	10	23.83±8.90^Aa
	2	200	10	12.40±9.36^Bb
		100	10	9.06±7.08^Bb
		50	10	7.50±6.97^Bb
		400	10	26.70±8.90^Aa
LBP-d	4	200	10	10.50±7.77^ABb
		100	10	8.86±7.39^Bb
		50	10	19.71±7.16^ABab
		400	10	10.10±9.22^a
	6	200	10	16.46±9.49^a
		100	10	14.21±8.05^a
		50	10	15.61±6.00^a
		400	10	17.13±12.33^a
	2	200	10	16.29±13.29^a
		100	10	18.21±13.96^a
		50	10	12.03±9.30^a
		400	10	45.13±5.69^A
LBP-e	4	200	10	23.52±13.47^B
		100	10	17.91±8.75^B
		50	10	15.01±9.37^B
		400	10	37.07±10.31^a
	6	200	10	29.46±9.13^a
		100	10	33.28±8.14^a
		50	10	32.06±9.51^a

Letters show significant differences. A, B: P<0.1. a, b: P<0.05.

Fig. 2 Morphological changes of cells treated by LBP. a, b, c show images of SMMC-7721 cells observed by inverted microscope (500×), and d, e, f are images observed by laser scanning confocal microscope (500×); a and d are the control groups; b and e are cells treated with LBP-d (400 mg L⁻¹) for 4 days; c and f are cells treated with LBP-e at 400 mg L⁻¹ for 4 days.

Table 3 Effects of LBP-d and LBP-e on cell cycle distribution of SMMC-7721 cells (n=3)

Group	G0/G1(%)	S(%)	G2/M(%)
Control	74.6±0.8	24.8±1.4	0.6±0.2
LBP-d^a	85.9±0.9**	13.4±0.8**	0.7±0.3
LBP-e^a	51.0±1.6**	45.4±1.2**	3.6±0.9*

^aThe concentrations of LBP-d and LBP-e were all 400 mg L⁻¹. All cells were cultured for 4 days.

*P<0.05, **P<0.01, compared with the control group.

Table 4 Effects of LBP-d and LBP-e on concentration of Ca²⁺ in the cytoplasm of SMMC-7721 cells

Group	Time (days)	n	Fluorescence intensity of control group (×10^3)	Fluorescence intensity of treated group (×10^3)	Treated/control
LBP-d	4	10	5.24±1.87	34.60±18.34**	6.60
	6	10	5.24±1.87	7.79±1.06*	1.49
LBP-e	4	10	1.94±0.51	12.74±2.02**	6.57
	6	10	1.94±0.51	2.25±1.06	1.16

The concentration of calcium was expressed in the relative fluorescence intensity of cells.

*P<0.05, **P<0.01, compared with the control group.