Research On The Inhibiting Effect Of Tanshinone Iia On Colon Cancer Cell Growth Via Cox-2-Wnt/Beta-Catenin Signaling Pathway

Purpose: To investigate the effects of tanshinone IIA (TSI-IA) on the colon cancer cell growth and to explore the mechanism of TSIIA in regulating the colon cancer cell growth via cyclooxygenase (COX)-2-Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway.Methods: Colon cancer cell line HC8693 was exposed to different concentrations of TSIIA. After 24-hr exposure, MTT assay was used to detect the lethal concentration of TSIIA on HC8693 cells. The expression levels of COX-2 and beta-catenin were detected by semi-quantitative PCR (sq-PCR). The protein expression levels of COX-2 and beta-catenin were detected by Western blot, and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Celecoxib, a COX-2 selective inhibitor, was used to inhibit the COX-2 of HC8693 cells, and the inhibiting effect of TSIIA on HC8693 cell growth was assessed.Results: MTT assay showed that TSIIA concentration of 2012M inhibited significantly the HC8693 cell growth (p<0.01). With reverse transcription after RNA extraction and (sq-PCR) detection the expression levels of COX-2 and beta-catenin were significantly decreased (p <0.01). Western blot showed that the protein expression levels of COX-2 and beta-catenin were significantly decreased (p<0.01). ELISA showed that the expression of VEGF was also significantly decreased (p <0.01); after celecoxib (1074M) was added, 2014M TSIIA had no inhibiting effect on the growth of HC8693 cells (p>0.05). Western blot showed no significant differences in the protein expression levels of COX-2 and beta-catenin compared with those in the control group (not exposed to TSIIA).Conclusions: TSIIA can inhibit the expression of COX-2 and activate the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway, thus downregulating the level of VEGF, and resulting in growth inhibition of colon cancer cells.