[Arsenic trioxide enhances TRAIL inducing human lung cancer cell line A549 cells apoptosis by down-regulate the expression of NF-kappaB]

Abstract

Objective: To study the influence of arsenic trioxide combined with human tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) on the apoptosis and the expression of NF-kappaB of human non-small-cell lung cancer cell line.

Methods: The proliferation of human non-small-cell lung cancer cell line A549 cultured in vitro were treated by As2O3, TRAIL alone and combined. The cell proliferation was detected by the assay of MTT, flow cytometry with PI stain was used to detect the apoptosis rate, NF-kappaB mRNA level of A549 cells were detected by RT-PCR. The expression of NF-kappaB protein were detected by Western blot. The activity of NF-kappaB was measured by ELISA.

Results: Compared with As2O3 alone, As2O3 combined with TRAIL could increase the inhibition and apoptosis ratio significantly (P<0.05). The expression of NF-kappaB in combined group was obviously less than that in As2O3 alone and control; the activity of NF-kappaB was inhibited by combined groups. The NF-kappaB mRNA and protein expression and the activity of NF-kappaB were separately negative related with the apoptosis ratio (P<0.05).

Conclusion: As2O3 can enhance TRAIL inducing of human lung cancer cell lines A549 apoptosis by inhibition of NF-kappaB signaling pathway.