RESUMO
Objective:To explore the inhibitory effect of dihydroartemisinin (DHA ) on the growth of neuroblastoma cells,and to clarify the anti-tumor mechanism of DHA.Methods:The experiment was divided into blank control group and DHA groups (the final concentrations of DHA were 0.05, 0.50, 5.00 and 50.00μmol·L-1 ).The proliferation rates of neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells after treated with DHA were examined by MTT assay;the changes of cell cycle of SH-SY5Y cells after treated with DHA were examined by flow cytometry;the expression levels of cyclin D1 and caspase-3 proteins were detected by ELISA and Western blotting methods.Results:The proliferation of SH-SY5Y cells 24,48,and 72 h after treated with different concentrations of DHA were inhibited.Compared with blank control group,the proliferation rates of SH-SY5Y cells in 0.50,5.00 and 50.00μmol·L-1 DHA groups were significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01).The density of cells was decreased with the increasing of DHA concentration.Compared with blank control group,the percentage of SH-SY5Y cells at SubG1 phase in 50.00μmol·L-1 DHA group was increased (P<0.05),and the percentage of cells at G0/G1 phase was increased first then was decreased;otherwise, the percentages of cells at S and G2/M phase were decreased.Compared with blank control group,the expression level of cyclin D1 protein in 50.00μmol·L-1 DHA group was decreased (P<0.05),but the expression level of caspase-3 protein in 50.00μmol· L-1 DHA group was increased (P<0.05).Conclusion:DHA could inhibit the proliferation through arresting the cell cycle and inducing the apoptosis of neuroblastoma cells.