ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the molecular mechanisms of proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induction by sophoridine on cell lines from adenocarcinoma in esophagogastric junction. METHODS: After treatment of OE-19 and SK-GT2 cells with 0-3.0 mg·mL-1 of sophoridine for 24, 48 and 72 h, CCK8 was used to examine the proliferation, flow cytometry was used to examine apoptosis, biochemical assay for intracellular ROS and GSH, real-time PCR and Western blot were used to examine FoxM1 mRNA and protein expression, and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was used for measurement of the transcriptional activity of FoxM1. RESULTS: Sophoridine could significantly inhibit the proliferation of OE-19 and SK-GT2 cell lines, induces apoptosis and G0/G1 arrest of OE-19 cell lines at the concentration of 0.5-1.0 mg·mL-1. Intracellular ROS increase and GSH decrease were observed as well. Moreover, sophoridine attenuated the expression of FoxM1 through suppression of its transcriptional activity. CONCLUSION: It suggests that sophoridine may inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis of adenocarcinoma from esophagogastric junction in vitro through down-regulating the expression of FoxM1.