Effect of gambogic acid on the proliferation of human colon carcinoma cell SW480 and the expression of VEGFR2

Objective:To investigate the effect of gambogic acid on human Colorectal Cancer Cell Line SW480 through suppression of VEGFR2 expression.Methods Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT) assay was used to test the changes in the proliferation of SW480 cells cultured with different concentrations of gambogic acid for 24,36 and 48h in vito.Cell-cycle kinetics and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry(FCM).Western-blot was applied to examine the protein expression of VEGFR2.Results:The proliferation of SW480 cells was obviously suppressed by gambogic acid in a concentration-and time-dependent manner.The cell was arrested at G2/M and apoptosis was induced.When SW480 cells were treated with gambogic acid at the concentration of 0、0.5、1.0、4.0μg/ml,the apoptosis rates of SW480 cell were(0.17±0.08)%、(0.85±0.19)%、(7.12±1.21)%、(15.87±1.59)%,respectively.After SW480 cells were treated with 0、0.5、1.0、4.0μg/ml gambogic acid for 24h respectively,the level of VEGFR2 protein decreased as concentration increased(P0.01).Conclusions:Gambogic acid can significantly inhibit the proliferation and induces G2/M arrest in human colon cancer cell line SW480.The effect mechanism is related to suppression of VEGFR2 expression.