Allicin inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis of human epidural scar fibroblasts.

Allicin can suppress liver and cardiac fibrosis, thus we hypothesize that it may prevent scar tissue from extensive epidural fibrosis after laminectomy.Human epidural scar fibroblasts were isolated from surgical specimen, and treated by allicin at a gradient of concentrations. The morphology, viability, migration rate, cell cycle and apoptosis rate were measured by fluorescence microscope, CCK-8 assay, scratch assay and flow cytometry. Western Blot was used to measure the expression level of proliferation-related proteins.After treated by allicin, cell viability (p=0.042*) and migration rate (p=0.010* in scratch assay, and p=0.025* in Transwell assay) decreased significantly in a dose-dependent manner. The percentage of G1 phase cells significantly decreased (p=0.017*), while that of S phase (p=0.096*) and G2 (p=0.038*) phase cells significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner. Similarly, the percentage of apoptotic cells increased significantly in a dose-dependent manner (p=0.036*). Comparing with control group, the expression level of PCNA protein (p=0.081) and Bcl-2 protein (p=0.029*) significantly decreased, while the Bax protein level significantly increased (p=0.017*).Allicin can suppress human epidural scar fibroblasts migration, induce cell apoptosis, and block cell proliferation at S phase and G2 phase.