ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the blocking effect of bergapten on cell cycle in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells. METHODS: The inhibition was tested by CCK-8 assay after the NPC cells (CNE-2 and HONE-1) being exposed to bergapten for 48 h. The bergapten concentrations were as follows: 1, 10 and 100 μmol·L-1. The cell cycle was assayed by PI staining and following flow cytometry analysis, and the CDK4, CDK6, CDK2, Cyclin D1, Cyclin E2, β-catenin, GSK-30 and p-GSK-3p (S9) protein levels were detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: Bergapten was able to significantly inhibit CNE-2 and HONE-1 NPC cancer cell proliferations, and the effect was dose-(CNE-2: r=0.926, P<0.05; HONE-1: r=0.959, P<0.05) and time-dependent (CNE-2: r=0.991, P<0.05; HONE-1: r=0.963, P<0.05). Drug treatment induced a block in the G0/G1 phase and decreased protein levels of CDK4, CDK6, CDK2, Cyclin D1, Cyclin E2 and β-catenin, but the protein levels of GSK-3β and the phosphorylation of p-GSK-3β (S9) didn't change. CONCLUSION: Bergapten can block cells cycle and inhibit NPC cells' proliferations, and those effects might be related to suppressing of cells cycle-related protein and interfering with the wnt/p-catenin signal pathway.