Experimental Study On The Anti-Tumor Effects Of Art Combined With Commonly Used Chemotherapeutic Agents In Vitro

Objective: To investigate the inhibiting effects of artesunate(Art)alone and the combination with adriamycin ( ADM ) on anti-proliferation and apoptosis-induced of tongue squamous cell carcinoma line Tca8113,and to explore the anticancer mechanism of Art and also to provide experimental evidence and the theoretical basis for clinical application.Methods: The inhibitory effect on cell proliferation was assessed by MTT assay. The cell cycle of Tca8113 cells was detected with Flow Cytometry(FCM). Transmission electron microscopy and fluorescent staining were applied to demonstrate the presence of apoptosis. The ultrastructural changes of Tca8113 were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The statistical analysis was executed by SPSS13.0 software, using chi-square test, analysis of variance for statistical, statistically significant level was"a=0.05".Results:①With the inverted microscope, we observed the morphological changes of apoptotic Tca8113 cells in artesunate groups.②Artesunate and adriamycin could inhibit Tca8113 cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in a time-dose dependent manner (P<0.05).③The lower concentration of artesunate combined with various concentration of adriamycin could reduce their IC50.The inhibition ratios in the combined groups were significantly higher than those of the control groups(P<0.05). There was a positive correlation between inhibition ratio or apoptosis rate and concentration in the combined groups.④The cell cycle of Tca8113 cells was detected with Flow Cytometry(FCM).Artesunate groups were compared with the control group, the distribution of cell cycle in artesunate group changed significantly(P<0.05).The blocking of the cell cycle was in G2/M-phase and S-phase.⑤The character of apoptotic cells was observed by transmission electron microscopy and fluorescent staining, such as cellular atrophy,chromatin clustering,pyknosis and karyoklasis.Conclusion:①Artesunate and adriamycin could significantly inhibit Tca8113 cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in a time-dose dependent manner.②Artesunate can sensitize Tca8113 cells to adriamycin-mediated apoptosis.③Artesunate can affect the distribution of cell cycle,induce G2/M-phase and S-phase arrest.④It is perhaps one of the mechanisms of inhibitory effects of artesunate on Tca8ll3 cells that artesunate can arrest cell cycle and induce apoptosis.