Artemisinin Inhibits Drug Resistance and Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition in Cervical Cancer Cells via the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway

The study examined the effects of a plant product artemisinin (ARS) on epithelial–mesenchymal transition and drug resistance in cervical cancer cells mediated via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. ARS inhibited invasion and migration of CaSki and HeLa cancer cells, up-regulated expression of ICAM-1, MMP-9, and E-cadherin proteins, as well as down-regulated expression of vimentin. In both cell lines, ARS down-regulated mRNA and protein expression of P-glycoprotein, ATP-binding cassette transporters B and G2; it also reduced expression of β-catenin protein. In comparison with the cells treated with Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitor iCRT3, the combined treatment of the cells with ARS and iCRT3 reduced their invasion and migration, down-regulated expression of MMP-9, ICAM-1, vimentin, and β-catenin proteins, as well as up-regulated expression of E-cadherin.