ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the enhancement of chemosensitivity of celecoxib, a specific cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, on leukemia HL-60 cell line in vitro, and explore the possible mechanisms. Methods MTT assay was used to assess the cytostatic efficacy of doxorubicin in the absent or present of different doses of celecoxib on HL-60 cell. The apoptosis of HL-60 cells was measured by flow cytometry (FCM). Gene expressions of Survivin was examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Protein of survivin was detected by Western blotting. Results Celecoxib could increase the cytostatic efficacy of doxorubicin on HL-60 cells. HL-60 cells were treated with increasing doses of doxorubicin in absence or presence of celecoxib (5 μmol/L, 10 μmol/L), IC50 were 0.48 μg/ml, 0.25 μg/ml and 0.16 μg/ml, respectively. Doxorubicin combined with low dose of celecoxib could induce the down-regulation of mRNA and protein of Survivin. Apoptosis rate of HL-60 cells treated with both 0.10 μg/ml doxorubicin and celecoxib(5 μmol/L, 10 μmol/L) were (13.07±1.66) % and (22.36±1.84) %, respectively, while it was (5.72±1.25) % in HL-60 cells treated with 0.10 μg/ml doxorubicin alone, with significant difference (P＜0.01).Conclusion Celecoxib could enhance the chemosensitivity of doxorubicin on leukemia HL-60 cell, which involves in increasing the apoptosis of HL-60 cells by down-regulation expression of Survivin.