Figure 3.

LC3-II expression is increased via promotion of autophagy flux in ASHE-treated liver cancer cells. Effect of ASHE on (A) AMPK, phosphorylated AMPK, and (B) LC3-I and LC3-II in HuH-7 and HepG2 cells. HuH-7 and HepG2 cells were treated with ASHE (HuH7: 0, 100 or 250 µg/ml; HepG2: 0, 250 and 500 µg/ml) for 72 h. (C) Effect of ASHE treatment for different time periods on LC3-I and LC3-II protein expression. HuH-7 and HepG2 cells were treated with ASHE in the absence of FBS for the indicated time periods and concentrations. ASHE-treated HuH-7 and HepG2 cells were co-treated with either (D) CQ (0.5 or 2 µM) for 72 h, or (E) bafilomycin A1 (50 or 125 nM) for 2 h. Protein expression was detected by western blotting. Actin was used as the loading control. ASHE, Acanthopanax senticosus Harms root extract; CQ, chloroquine.