The inhibition of norcantharidin on human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of norcantharidin(NCTD) on human lung cancer cells,and investigate the mechanisms. METHODS:The growth inhibition of A549 cells treated with 0-240 μmol/L NCTD for 0-72 hours was analyzed by MTT assay. The recovery growth and proliferation of A549 cells treated with 0-120 μmol/L NCTD for 24 h was evaluated by MTT assay. The morphological changes of A549 cells treated with 40,50 and 60 μmol/L NCTD for 0-72 h were examined under inverted microscope. The apoptosis and cell cycle changes of A549 cells treated with 40-60 μmol/L NCTD were detected by flow cytometry. RESULTS:NCTD inhibited the growth of A549 cells in 30-240 μmol/L(P0.05). Cell growth inhibition could hardly be detected 24 h after 30-240 μmol/L NCTD was removed from culture medium. The vitality of A549 cells was fully recovered in 5 d after 30-60 μmol/L NCTD was removed from culture medium. A549 cells showed G2-M phase block but no obvious apoptosis compared with the control group when treated with 40,50 and 60 μmol/L NCTD for 0-72 h. CONCLUSION: NCTD(40-60 μmol/L) inhibited human lung cancer A549 cell growth mainly by cell G2-M phase block.