Effect of mifepristone on the apoptosis of human cervical squamous carcinoma cells

Objective To investigate the inhibitory effect of mifepristone the growth of human cervical squamous carcinoma cells in vitro and explore the mechanism of mifepristone. Methods Human cervical squamous carcinoma cell line Caski cells were cultuled in vitro, Caski cells was treated with various concentration of mifepristone.The apoptosis of Caski cells was determined by PI staining flow cytometry and cell cycle was analyzed using flow cytometry;The expression and variation of activity of HPV16-E6, p53, Bcl-2, Bax protein in Caski cells were investigated by FITC staining flow cytometry. Results The apoptosis of Caski cells induced and cell cycle was arrested at G1 phase by mifepristone whose concentrateion excessed 12.5mg/L in a concentrateion and time dependent manner, The apoptosis of Caski cells can not be induced by mifepristone at concentrateions of 1.25mg/L. FITC staining flow cytometry indicated the expression of HPV16-E6、Bcl-2 protein decreased and the expression of p53 and Bax protein. increased in Caski cells treated with mifepristone in a concentrateion dependent manner (P0.05). Conclusion Large dose of mifepristone (12.5~20.0mg/L) can significantly induce the apoptosis of human cervical squamous carcinoma Caski cells, arrest cell cycle in G1 phase. The effect of mifepristone on apoptosis of Caski cells is associated with downregulating expression of HPV16-E6,Bcl-2 protein and upregulating expression of p53 and Bax protein.