ObjectiveTo study the effects of sea cucumber polysaccharide (SCPS) on the proliferation and apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, and to explore its effect on JAK2/STAT3/survivin pathway. MethodsThe human HCC cell lines HepG2 were placed into 24-well plates after culturing to the logarithmic phase, then dealed with different concentrations (0, 50, 100, 200 μg/mL) of SCPS. The MTT assay was used to detect the effects of different concentrations of SCPS on cell proliferation at 12 h, 24 h, and 36 h. The effect of SCPS on cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. The mRNA and protein expression levels of JAK2, STAT3, and survivin were detected by real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot at 36 h after treatment with SCPS, respectively. Then, the human HepG2 cells treated with different concentrations (0, 50, 100, 200 μg/mL) of SCPS were subcutaneously xenografted into nude mice to observe the effect of SCPS on the growth of tumor tissues in nude mice. At the same time, the expressions of phosphorylated JAK2, STAT3, and survivin proteins in tumor tissues were detected by immunohistochemical method. ResultsAfter treatment with different concentrations of SCPS, the proliferation inhibition rate of HepG2 cells increased over time and increased SCPS concentrations (P<0.05). After 36 h cultivation time, the apoptosis rate of cells treated with different concentrations of SCPS was statistically significant (F=117.110, P<0.001) and increased with the increase of SCPS concentrations (P<0.05). The protein expression levels of JAK2, STAT3, survival and their phosphorylated proteins decreased gradually with the increase of SCPS concentrations (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in the mRNA expression level (P>0.05). With the increase of SCPS concentration, the tumor volume of nude mice gradually reduced (P<0.05). At the same time, the results of immunohistochemical detection showed that the positive expression rates of phosphorylated JAK2, STAT3, and survivin proteins in tumor tissues decreased with the increase of SCPS concentrations (P<0.05). ConclusionFrom preliminary results of this study, SCPS could inhibit the proliferation of HCC cells and promote their apoptosis, which might be achieved by regulating the phosphorylated expressions of JAK2, STAT3, and survivin in the JAK2/STAT3/survivin pathway.