Published online Jun 15, 2002. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v8.i3.483
Revised: January 3, 2002
Accepted: January 15, 2002
Published online: June 15, 2002
AIM: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) has been suggested to be associated with carcinogenesis. We sought to investigate the effect of the selective COX-2 inhibitor, Nimesulide on proliferation and apoptosis of SMMC-7721 human hepatoma cells.
METHODS: This study was carried out on the culture of hepatic carcinoma SMMC-7721 cell line. Various concentrations of Nimesulide (0, 200 μmol/L, 300 μmol/L, 400 μmol/L) were added and incubated. Cell proliferation was detected with MTT colorimetric assay, cell apoptosis by electron microscopy, flow cytometry and TUNEL.
RESULTS: Nimesulide could significantly inhibit SMMC-7721 cells proliferation dose-dependent and in a dependent manner compared with that of the control group. The duration lowest inhibition rate produced by Nimesulide in SMMC-7721 cells was 19.06%, the highest inhibition rate was 58.49%. After incubation with Nimesulide for 72 h, the most highest apoptosis rate and apoptosis index of SMMC-7721 cells comparing with those of the control were 21.20% ± 1.62% vs 2.24% ± 0.26% and 21.23 ± 1.78 vs 2.01 ± 0.23 (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: The selective COX-2 inhibitor, Nimesulide can inhibit the proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells and increase apoptosis rate and apoptosis index of SMMC-7721 cells. The apoptosis rate and the apoptosis index are dose-dependent. Under electron microscope SMMC-7721 cells incubated with 300 μmol and 400 μmol Nimesulide show apoptotic characteristics. With the clarification of the mechanism of selective COX-2 inhibitors, These COX-2 selective inhibitors can become the choice of prevention and treatment of cancers.