[Inhibitory effect of quercetin on cervix cancer in mice]

To investigate the antitumor effect and mechanism of quercetin on murine cervical carcinoma U14.

The 615-strain mice with U14 cervical cancer cells were randomly divided into 4 groups: a control, a low-dose intervention group [1.5 g/(kg . d)], a middle-dose intervention group [3.0 g/(kg . d)], and a high-dose intervention group [6.0 g/(kg . d)]. Different treatments were inoculated intraperitoneally after 6 days of transplantation and all mice were sacrificed after 26 days. The weight of tumors and inhibitory rates were measured. The expression levels of microvessel density (MVD) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) were detected by immunohistochemistry. The apoptosis index (AI) was measured by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase assay in situ (TUNEL).

Compared with the control group, the tumor growth in the high-dose intervention group was suppressed significantly, and the weight and volume of the tumor were markedly decreased (P<0.01). The inhibitory rate in the high-dose intervention group was higher than that in the low- and middle-dose groups(P<0.05). The expression levels of NF-kappaB and MVD were significantly decreased, and AI was enhanced in the high-dose intervention group (P<0.01). However, the low- and middle-dose quercetin had no obvious influence on the NF-kappaB expression, MVD and AI(P>0.05).

Quercetin showed a marked inhibitive effect on U14 growth, and its antitumor mechanism may be associated with inhibiting the angiogenesis and inducing apoptosis.