Apoptosis induced by cantharidin in human pulmonary carcinoma cells A549 and its molecular mechanisms / 中华肿瘤杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the apoptosis-inducing effect of cantharidin in human lung cancer cells A549 and its molecular mechanisms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>MTT assay was used to determine A549 cells proliferation. Light and electron microscopy, FACScan, Annexin V-FITC staining and DNA gel electrophoresis were used to detect apoptosis. The expression of bcl-2, Bax and survivin were examined by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Cantharidin inhibited the proliferation of A549 cells. The cells treated with cantharidin showed a typical apoptotic morphology and hypodiploid peak before G(1) phase. Flow cytometry analysis with annexin quantitatively further confirmed the increase of cell apoptosis. DNA of treated A549 cells depicted a ladder pattern characteristic of apoptosis, indicating the presence of DNA fragmentation. Western blot assay showed that cantharidin increased the level of Bax expression and inhibited the level of bcl-2 and survivin expression.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Cantharidin can induce A549 cells apoptosis mainly via regulation of Bax, bcl-2 and survivin expression.</p>