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Published on: April 6, 2016
Tetrazolium violet induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in human lung cancer a549 cells
Xiao-Hong Zhang1, Nan Zhang, Jian-Mei Lu
1School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan 250100 ; Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810008.
Abstract:
Tetrazolium violet is a tetrazolium salt and has been proposed as an antitumor agent. In this study, we reported for the first time that tetrazolium violet not only inhibited human lung cancer A549 cell proliferation but also induced apoptosis and blocked cell cycle progression in the G1 phase. The results showed that tetrazolium violet significantly decreased the viability of A549 cells at 5-15 μM. Tetrazolium violet -induced apoptosis in A549 cells was confirmed by H33258 staining assay. In A549, tetrazolium violet blocked the progression of the cell cycle at G1 phase by inducing p53 expression and further up-regulating p21/WAF1 expression. In addition, an enhancement in Fas/APO-1 and its two forms of ligands, membrane-bound Fas ligand (mFasL) and soluble Fas ligand (sFasL), as well as caspase, were responsible for the apoptotic effect induced by tetrazolium violet. The conclusion of this study is that tetrazolium violet induced p53 expression which caused cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. These findings suggest that tetrazolium violet has strong potential for development as an agent for treatment lung cancer.
Insights
Tetrazolium violet inhibits lung cancer cell growth by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. This tetrazolium salt shows promise as a potential antitumor agent for lung cancer treatment.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Tetrazolium violet, a tetrazolium salt, has been investigated for potential antitumor properties.
- Lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of tetrazolium violet on human lung cancer A549 cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle progression.
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying tetrazolium violet's action on lung cancer cells.
Main Methods:
- Cell viability assays were performed to determine the effective concentration of tetrazolium violet.
- Apoptosis was assessed using H33258 staining.
- Cell cycle progression was analyzed by monitoring p53 and p21/WAF1 expression.
- The role of Fas/APO-1 pathway components (mFasL, sFasL, caspase) in mediating apoptosis was evaluated.
Main Results:
- Tetrazolium violet significantly reduced A549 cell viability at concentrations of 5-15 μM.
- Apoptosis induction was confirmed by H33258 staining.
- Cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase was observed, mediated by induced p53 and upregulated p21/WAF1 expression.
- Enhanced expression of Fas/APO-1, Fas ligands (mFasL, sFasL), and caspase contributed to the apoptotic effect.
Conclusions:
- Tetrazolium violet effectively inhibits human lung cancer A549 cell proliferation.
- The compound induces apoptosis and G1 cell cycle arrest through p53 and p21/WAF1 pathways.
- Tetrazolium violet demonstrates significant potential as a therapeutic agent for lung cancer.
