Artemisinin induces ROS-mediated caspase3 activation in ASTC-a-1 cells

摘要

Artemisinin (ART); an antimalarial phytochemical from the sweet wormwood plant or a naturally occurring component of Artemisia annua; has been shown a potential anticancer activity by apoptotic pathways. In our report; cell counting kit (CCK-8) assay showed that treatment of human lung adenocarcinoma (ASTC-a-1) cells with ART effectively increase cell death by inducing apoptosis in a time- and dose-dependent fashion. Hoechst 33258 staining was used to detect apoptosis as well. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was observed in cells exposed to ART at concentrations of 400 uM for 48 h. N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC); an oxygen radical scavenger; suppressed the rate of ROS generation and inhibited the ART-induced apoptosis. Moreover; AFC assay (Fluorometric assay for Caspase3 activity) showed that ROS was involved in ART-induced caspase3 acitvation. Taken together; our data indicate that ART induces ROS-mediated caspase3 activation in a time-and dose-dependent way in ASCT-a-1 cells.