Sequential treatment with betulinic acid followed by 5-fluorouracil shows synergistic cytotoxic activity in ovarian cancer cells

International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology

Ying-Jian Wang¹ 

关键词: Ovarian carcinoma;    inhibition;    morphological changes;    hedgehog;    apoptosis;   

DOI  :  

学科分类：生理学与病理学

来源: e-Century Publishing Corporation

【 摘 要 】

Betulinic acid selectively inhibits the growth of ovarian carcinoma cell lines without affecting the normal cells. In the present study, the effect of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and betulinic acid (BA) combination on ovarian carcinoma cells was studied. The results demonstrated that ovarian carcinoma cells on concurrent or 5-FU followed by BA treatment show increased Sub-G1 cell population, increased rate of cell apoptosis and morphological changes in mitochondrial membrane. In OVCAR 432 cells treatment with sequential combination of 5-FU and BA increased the Sub-G1 cell population to 51.3% and growth inhibition rate of > 72%. However, exposure to BA before 5-FU treatment caused a decrease in rate of inhibition to < 35%. Treatment with combination of 5 μM of 5-FU and 1 μM of BA for 48 h, led to an induction of apoptosis in 79.7% and induced morphological changes in OVCAR 432 cells. The Western blot results showed high concentration of cytochrome c in the cell cytosol after 24 h of 5-FU and BA combination treatment. Treatment of BA-responsive RMS-13 cells with 5-FU and BA combination resulted in inhibition of GLI1, GLI2, PTCH1, and IGF2 genes. In addition, we found a significant reduction in hedgehog activity of RMS-13 cells after 5-FU and BA combination treatment by means of a hedgehog-responsive reporter assay. Therefore, 5-FU and BA combination can be a promising regimen for the treatment of ovarian carcinoma.

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC