Study on the synergistic effects of aspirin and atorvastatin on cell proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer cells / 药学实践杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the synergistic effects of aspirin and atorvastatin on cell proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer cell A549 and NCI-H460 and the mechanism of these actions. Methods The proliferation of A549 and NCI-H460 cells treated by aspirin or/and atorvastatin were determined by MTS assay. The migration of A549 and NCI-H460 cells were conducted by wound-healing assay. The expression of relevant protein in mTOR and NFκB signaling pathway were detected by western blotting. The mRNA expression of TNF-α and IL-1β were detected by quantitative real-time PCR. Results Aspirin or/and atorvastatin inhibited the proliferation and migration of A549 and NCI-H460 at concentration of 100 and 5 μmol/L or greater. The effect was enhanced by the combination of aspirin and atorvastatin. Aspirin or/and atorvastatin inhibited the protein expression of the phosphorylation of mTOR and NFκB, and down-regulated anti-apoptotic regulators Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 in NCI-H460 cells. The combination treatment of aspirin and atorvastatin was more efficacious than the single treatment. Atorvastatin decreased the mRNA expression of TNF-α. The combination of atorvastatin with aspirin decreased the mRNA expression of IL-1β by nearly 50 percent compared to the control (P<0.05). Conclusion Aspirin and atorvastatin have synergistic inhibitory effects on cell growth of non-small cell lung cancer cell A549 and NCI-H460 by suppressing mTOR and NFκB signaling pathway.