Fig. 6

Schematic diagram showing mechanism of K73-03 on the induction of cell autophagy and apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma. K73-03, a derivative of oleanolic acid, can increase the generation of ROS, resulting in not only inducing autophagosome accompany with the enhancement of Beclin1 and ratio of LC3BII/I, ultimately leading to autophagic cell death, but also stimulating JAK2/STAT3 and NF- ĸB/P65 signals. Both of them can be alleviated by NAC (an active oxygen scavenger). Subsequently, one side, mitochondria was damaged, manifesting by the increase of Bcl-2, Bax and the decrease of ∆Ψm, ETC, FCCP, OCR, ATP, causing the release of Cytochrome C, the activation of Casepase-9, Casepase-3, eventually the occurrence of apoptotic cell death. On the other side, NF- ĸB/P65 translocated into nucleus after the activation of these two signals, bringing about the upregulation of COX-2, further aggravating apoptotic cell death