The effect and mechanism of Saponin Ⅰ of Schizocapsa plantaginea Hance on nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line HONE-1 in vitro

Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui     font:big middle small

Fund programs: National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 82360792); Open Project of Guangxi Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis and Therapy Research (No. GXSWBX202402)

Authors:Guo Xinyi1, Liang Ziying1, Wang Jinni1, Ding Xiaolian1,Wang Yanxue1, Liang Gang1,2

Keywords:SSPHⅠ; nasopharyngeal carcinoma; reactive oxygen species; NLRP3; pyroptpsis; saponin

DOI:10.19405/j.cnki.issn1000-1492.2026.04.006

〔Abstract〕 Objective To explore the inhibitory effect and related molecular mechanisms of Saponin of Schizocapsa plantaginea HanceⅠ (SSPHⅠ) on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma HONE-1 cells.Methods The effect of SSPHⅠ on HONE-1 cell viability was detected using the CCK-8 assay. Its inhibitory effect on cell proliferation was evaluated through a colony formation assay. Changes in cell invasion ability were analyzed using the Transwell assay. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were measured using the DHE fluorescent probe. The extent of intracellular content release was reflected by the LDH release assay. The rate of cell pyroptosis was detected using the Annexin-V/PI double staining method. Changes in the expression of proteins related to the classical pyroptosis pathway were examined by Western Blot.Results CCK-8 assay showed that treatment with SSPHⅠ for 24 hours reduced HONE-1 cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner, with an IC50 value of 3.383 μmol/L. In the colony formation assay, the number of HONE-1 cell colonies gradually decreased with increasing concentrations of SSPHⅠ (P<0.01). The Transwell assay revealed that the number of cells migrating through the chamber was reduced following SSPHⅠ treatment (P<0.01). DHE fluorescence probe detection indicated that intracellular ROS fluorescence intensity increased after SSPHⅠ treatment (P<0.001). The LDH release assay showed that LDH activity in the cell supernatant increased with higher concentrations of SSPHⅠ (P<0.001). Annexin-V/PI double staining demonstrated that the proportion of Annexin-V/PI-positive cells increased after SSPHⅠ treatment (P<0.001). Western blot analysis showed that, compared with the control group, the protein expression levels of cleaved-Caspase-1 and GSDMD-N-terminal were upregulated in SSPHⅠ-treated cells (P<0.05), and NLRP3 protein expression levels also increased (P<0.05). ELISA results showed that the levels of IL-1β and IL-18 in the cells increased with higher concentrations of SSPHⅠ (P<0.05).Conclusion SSPHⅠ can induce pyroptosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma HONE-1 cells by regulating the ROS/NLRP3/Caspase-1 signaling axis, thereby exerting an anti-nasopharyngeal carcinoma effect. This suggests that SSPHⅠ may serve as a potential therapeutic agent for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.