Open AccessDihydroartemisinin is an inhibitor of ovarian cancer cell growth 1
Author(s) -
JIAO Yang,
GE Chunmin,
MENG Qinghui,
CAO Jianping,
TONG Jian,
FAN Saijun
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
acta pharmacologica sinica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.514
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1745-7254
pISSN - 1671-4083
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-7254.2007.00612.x
Subject(s) - dihydroartemisinin , ovarian cancer , cell growth , apoptosis , mtt assay , cell cycle , growth inhibition , dna fragmentation , cell culture , artemisinin , cancer research , cancer cell , pharmacology , biology , viability assay , chemistry , cancer , programmed cell death , immunology , biochemistry , plasmodium falciparum , genetics , malaria
Aim : To investigate the anticancer activity of dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a derivative of antimalaria drug artemisinin in a panel of human ovarian cancer cell lines. Methods : Cell growth was determined by the MTT viability assay. Apoptosis and cell cycle progression were evaluated by a DNA fragmentation gel electro‐phoresis, flow cytometry assay, and TUNEL assay; protein and mRNA expression were analyzed by Western blotting and RT‐PCR assay. Results : Artemisinin and its derivjtives, including artesunate, arteether, artemether, arteannuin, and DHA, exhibit anticancer growth activities in human ovarian cancer cells. Among them, DHA is the most effective in inhibiting cell growth. Ovarian cancer cell lines are more sensitive (5‐10‐fold) to DHA treatment compared to normal ovarian cell lines. DHA at micromolar dose levels exhibits a dose‐ and time‐dependent cytotoxicity in ovarian cancer cell lines. Furthermore, DHA induced apoptosis and G 2 cell cycle arrest, accompanied by a decrease of Bcl‐X L and Bcl‐2 and an increase of Bax and Bad. Conclusion : The promising results show for the first time that DHA inhibits the growth of human ovarian cancer cells. The selective inhibition of ovarian cancer cell growth, apoptosis induction, and G 2 arrest provide in vitro evidence for further studies of DHA as a possible anticancer drug in the clinical treatment of ovarian cancer.