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The role of calcium, P38 MAPK in dihydroartemisinin-induced apoptosis of lung cancer PC-14 cells

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Abstract

Introduction

Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a semi-synthetic derivative of artemisinin isolated from the traditional Chinese herb Artemisia annua, is an effective novel antimalarial drug. Recent studies suggest that it also has anticancer effect.

Purpose

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of DHA on cultured human lung cancer cells (PC-14 cells) to better understand its apoptosis and apoptosis-related factors in vitro.

Methods

The cell viability was measured by MTT assay. The apoptosis induction was examined by DNA ladder and flow cytometry. The intracellular-free calcium concentration in the lung cancer cells were evaluated by laser scanning confocal microscopy with Fura-3/AM as probe. The associated gene expression was examined by Western blot.

Results

After treatment with DHA, a decrease in the viability of PC-14 cells and apoptosis were observed. DHA-induced apoptosis were accompanied by an increase of Ca2+ and activation of p38. Deleted levels of Ca2+ by BAPTA-AM 20 μM or inhibition of p38 by its selective inhibitor SB202190 then led to decreased DHA-induced apoptosis.

Conclusions

These results demonstrated that DHA can induce apoptosis of lung cancer cell line PC-14 cells and calcium and p38 play important roles in the apoptotic signalling pathways.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Respiratory Disease, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, 1# Xinsi Road, Xi’an city, Shaanxi Province, 710038, China

    Deguang Mu, Dongling Chu, Tonggang Liu, Yonghong Xie, Enqing Fu & Faguang Jin

  2. Department of Microbiology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an city, China

    Wei Zhang

Authors
  1. Deguang Mu
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  2. Wei Zhang
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  3. Dongling Chu
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  4. Tonggang Liu
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  5. Yonghong Xie
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  6. Enqing Fu
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  7. Faguang Jin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Faguang Jin.

Additional information

Wei Zhang is a co-first author.

The first three authors contributed equally to this research.

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Mu, D., Zhang, W., Chu, D. et al. The role of calcium, P38 MAPK in dihydroartemisinin-induced apoptosis of lung cancer PC-14 cells. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 61, 639–645 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00280-007-0517-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00280-007-0517-5

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