HSP70 inhibitor combined with cisplatin suppresses the cervical cancer proliferation in vitro and transplanted tumor growth: An experimental study

OBJECTIVE: To study the regulating effect of HSP70 inhibitor (PES) combined with cisplatin on cervical cancer proliferation in vitro and transplanted tumor growth. METHODS: Cervical cancer Hela cell lines were cultured and divided into control group, cisplatin group, PES group and cisplatin + PES group that were treated with serum-free DMEM, cisplatin with final concentration of 10 μmol/L, PES 20 μmol/L and cisplatin 10 μmol/L combined with PES with 20 μmol/L, respectively; animal models with cervical cancer xenografts were established and divided into control group, cisplatin group, PES group and cisplatin + PES group who received intra-tumor injection of normal saline, 10 μmol/L cisplatin, 20 μmol/L PES as well as 10 μmol/L cisplatin + 20 μmol/L PES, respectively. Cell proliferation activity, transplanted tumor volume and mitochondria apoptosis molecule expression were detected. RESULTS: Cell viability value and Bcl-2 mRNA expression in cells of cisplatin group, PES group and cisplatin + PES group were significantly lower than those of control group while Bax, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 mRNA expression in cells were significantly higher than those of control group; transplanted tumor volume and the Bcl-2 mRNA expression in transplanted tumor tissue of cisplatin group, PES group and cisplatin + PES group were significantly lower than those of control group while Bax, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 mRNA expression in transplanted tumor tissue were significantly higher than those of control group. CONCLUSIONS: HSP70 inhibitor combined with cisplatin can inhibit cervical cancer cell proliferation in vitro and transplanted tumor growth through mitochondrial apoptosis pathway.