Effects of cinnamaldehyde on apoptosis of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma Eca109 cells and its mechanism / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate effects of cinnamaldehyde (CA) on the proliferation and apoptosis of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma Eca109 cells and to explore its mechanism. Methods: The effects of different concentrations (1.88, 3.75, 7.50, 15.00, 30.00 μg/mL) of CA on the proliferation of Eca109 cells were detected by MTS assay; Morphological changes were observed by phase contrast microscope; Flow cytometry was used to detect cell cycle distribution and apoptosis rate of Eca109 at different concentrations of CA; The expression of apoptosis-related protein Caspase-3/Caspase-9, pro-apoptosis protein Bax and anti-apoptosis protein Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 in ECA109 cells treated with different concentrations of CA for 24 h was detected by Western blotting. Results: After treated by CA with a concentration of 15.00, 30.00 μg/mL for 24 h, compared with the control group, the cell proliferation of Eca109 cells was significantly inhibited [(42.91 ± 2.15)%, (36.04 ± 2.97)% vs (100.00 ± 0.00)%, P < 0.05]; After treated by CA, Eca109 cells showed obvious apoptotic morphological changes; After treated with different concentrations of CA for 24 h, the proportion of cells in G0/G1 phase was decreased significantly (P < 0.05), while the proportion of cells in G2/M phase was increased significantly (P < 0.05); After treated by CA for 24 h, the apoptosis rate of Eca109 cells was increased significantly [(4.3 ± 0.11)%, (4.8 ± 0.07)%, (9.1 ± 0.13)% vs (1.0 ± 0.03)%, P < 0.05]; Compared with the control group, the fragment of protein Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 was significantly cleaved in Eca109 cells treated with different concentrations of CA for 24 h (P < 0.05); The expression levels of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 were significantly decreased (P < 0.05), while the pro-apoptotic protein Bax expression was significantly up-regulated (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Cinnamaldehyde can inhibit the proliferation of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma Eca109 cells and promote its apoptosis. The mechanism may be associated with the up-regulation of Caspase-3, Caspase-9, pro-apoptotic protein Bax and down-regulation of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and Mcl-1.