Purpose To evaluate the anti-tumor effects of oxymatrine in vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (VSCC) cells and to explore the underlying mechanisms. Methods We selected SW962 and A431 VSCC cell lines. Cell proliferation was examined using MTT assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis were detected using flow cytometry. Migration and invasion were evaluated using transwell and wound-healing assays. The relevant protein expression and signaling pathways were analyzed using Western blotting. Results Oxymatrine inhibited the proliferation of SW962 and A431 VSCC cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Oxymatrine induced cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase by increasing the protein expression of P21 and decreasing levels of cyclin B1 and CDC2. Oxymatrine upregulated the expression of cleaved-caspase 3 and BAX and downregulated the expression of BCL2, which led to an increase in apoptosis. Oxymatrine also suppressed the migration and invasion of SW962 and A431 cells by reducing levels of MMP2 and MMP9. After treatment with oxymatrine or a RAS inhibitor (salirasib), expression levels of RAS, p-RAF, p-MEK, p-ERK, C-MYC, and MMP2 were reduced. When TGF-β1 was used to stimulate SW962 and A431 cells, the expression of the above proteins increased; this increase was reversed by using oxymatrine or salirasib again. Conclusion Oxymatrine inhibits proliferation and migration of VSCC cells by blocking the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK pathway.
Jingting Zeng,Zhenshuo Luo,Tiansheng Zhao,Chunhua Xia,Fanglan Liu,Na Li,Lailiang Qu,Cheng Wang
Aberrant activation of the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK pathway occurs in more than 30% of human cancers. As part of this pathway, MEK1/2 has crucial roles in tumorigenesis, cell proliferation, and inhibition of apoptosis. At present, a number of MEK1/2 inhibitors are approved for the treatment of melanoma. However, MEK1/2 inhibitors have poor single-drug efficacy in the treatment of solid tumors and are prone to drug resistance. A series of compounds containing a diarylamine skeleton and phenylacrylamide (acrylamide) have been designed and synthesized in this paper. The most promising compound M15 showed good inhibitory activity of MEK1 (IC 50 = 10.29 nM) and good inhibitory effect on three types of solid tumor cells: MDA-MB-231(IC 50 = 2.76 μM), HepG2 (IC 50 = 2.57 μM) and A549 (IC 50 = 5.40 μM). At the same time, M15 was less toxic to human normal cells (MCF-10A IC 50 > 20 μM) and has certain stability of liver microsomes in vitro (human, t 1/2 = 27.9 min; rat, t 1/2 > 60 min). It can induce apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells and slow down their migration. Therefore, compound M15 acts as a novel MEK1/2 inhibitor and may be a promising candidate for solid tumor intervention.
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