Artesunate Induces SKM-1 Cells Apoptosis by Inhibiting Hyperactive β-catenin Signaling Pathway

Artesunate (ART), a wildly used agent to treat severe malarial around the world, also has the power to inhibit growth of different types of tumor. However, the exact molecular mechanisms keep unknown.

In this study, we used myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) cells (SKM-1 cells) with differential ART concentrations treatment at multiple time points to observe the subsequence cell function alteration and the possible involved pathway genes.

We found that ART demonstrated the ability to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in SKM-1 in a dose and time-dependent manner. Demethylase recovered CDH1 gene expression may be involved in the apoptosis process. The β-catenin protein translocated from the nucleus and cytoplasm to the membrane result in inactivation of β-catenin signaling pathway.

Our findings provide a rational basis to develop ART as a useful therapeutic agent for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes.