Carcinogenesis, Teratogenesis & Mutagenesis

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The inhibition of norcantharidin on human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells

CUI Baodi,WANG Min#,SUN Zhenxiao*   

  1. Department of Biopharmaceutical, School of Chinese Pharmacology, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100102, China
  • Received:2014-06-22 Revised:2014-09-23 Online:2015-01-31 Published:2015-01-31

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of norcantharidin (NCTD) on human lung cancer cells,and investigate the mechanisms. METHODS:The growth inhibition of A549 cells treated with 0-240 μmol/L NCTD for 0-72 hours was analyzed by MTT assay. The recovery growth and proliferation of A549 cells treated with 0-120 μmol/L NCTD for 24 h was evaluated by MTT assay. The morphological changes of A549 cells treated with 40,50 and 60 μmol/L NCTD for 0-72 h were examined under inverted microscope. The apoptosis and cell cycle changes of A549 cells treated with 40-60 μmol/L NCTD were detected by flow cytometry. RESULTS:NCTD inhibited the growth of A549 cells in 30-240 μmol/L(P<0.05). Cell growth inhibition could hardly be detected 24 h after 30-240 μmol/L NCTD was removed from culture medium. The vitality of A549 cells was fully recovered in 5 d after 30-60 μmol/L NCTD was removed from culture medium. A549 cells showed G2-M phase block but no obvious apoptosis compared with the control group when treated with 40,50 and 60 μmol/L NCTD for 0-72 h. CONCLUSION: NCTD (40-60 μmol/L) inhibited human lung cancer A549 cell growth mainly by cell G2-M phase block.

Key words: norcantharidin, lung cancer, A549 cell, cell cycle, apoptosis