Abstract
The induced-apoptosis effect and mechanism of human esophageal cancer Ec-109 cells via tanshinone IIA was investigated. The Ec-109 cells were cultured in vitro with different concentrations of tanshinone IIA (2 μg/mL, 4 μg/mL, or 8 μg/mL) for 12, 24, 36, and 48 hours. MTT assay was used to evaluate the proliferative inhibition rate of tanshinone IIA on esophageal Ec-109 cells. After 24 hours of culturing in vitro, a control group was assigned. The apoptosis rate was detected by the AO/EB and annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide assay, and the protein levels of Caspase-4 and CHOP were determined by the Western blot technique. MTT data showed that tanshinone IIA could significantly inhibit the proliferation of Ec-109 cells with a dose- and time- dependent mode. Compared with the control group, tanshinone IIA could apparently induce apoptosis of Ec-109 cells, and the level of Caspase-4 and CHOP (p<0.01) obviously increased. Tanshinone IIA can significantly induce the apoptosis of Ec-109 cells, which may take effect by the stress pathway of the endoplasmic reticulum.