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Objective: Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone tumor and is generally treated with radiotherapy combined with radiosensitizers. The aim of the present study was to investigate the radiosensitization effects of berberine on osteosarcoma cells and the role of Rad51 in radiosensitivity by berberine. Materials and Methods: Cells from the human osteosarcoma cell line MG-63 were exposed to γ-ray irradiation (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 Gy) and berberine (20 μM). Radiosensitivity was evaluated by determining cell viability using an MTT assay. Flow cytometry was used to determine cell cycle and apoptosis. Real-time PCR and western blot were performed to analyze the mRNA and protein expressions of Rad51. The protein levels of E-cadherin and vimentin were also measured to evaluate the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. Tumor invasion was determined by the Boyden chamber assay. Results: Berberine exacerbated the decline in viability of MG-63 cells exposed to γ-rays irradiation at various concentrations (25, 50, 75, and 100 μmol/L) and induced cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase as well as apoptosis. The mRNA and protein expressions of Rad51 were significantly decreased by berberine in MG-63 cells. Inhibition of Rad51 by B02 enhanced the radiosensitivity of MG-63 cells. Berberine inhibited their invasive capability as well as increased E-cadherin and decreased vimentin protein levels; this indicated that berberine suppressed the EMT process in MG-63 cells exposed to γ-rays irradiation. Conclusion: Berberine enhances the radiosensitivity of MG-63 osteosarcoma cells. Rad51 is a potential target of berberine in the radiosensitization of osteosarcoma.

Oxidative stress is important in carcinogenesis and metastasis. Salidroside, a phenylpropanoid glycoside isolated from Rhodiola rosea L., shows potent antioxidant properties. The aim of the present study was to investigate the roles of salidroside in cell proliferation, the cell cycle, apoptosis, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in A549 cells. The human alveolar adenocarcinoma cell line, A549, was incubated with various concentrations of salidroside (0, 1, 5, 10 and 20 μg/ml) and cell proliferation was detected by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Propidium iodide (PI) staining was used to determine the cell cycle by flow cytometry. Cell apoptosis was detected by Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate and PI double-staining, and tumor invasion was detected by Boyden chamber invasion assay. Western blot analysis was performed to detect the expression of EMT markers, Snail and phospho-p38. The results showed that salidroside significantly reduced the proliferation of A549 cells, inhibited cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase and induced apoptosis. Salidroside inhibited transforming growth factor-β-induced tumor invasion and suppressed the protein expression of Snail. As an antioxidant, salidroside inhibited the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation in a dose-dependent manner in A549 cells, and depletion of intracellular ROS by vitamin C suppressed apoptosis by salidroside treatment. Salidroside was also found to inhibit the expression of phospho-p38 in A549 cells. In conclusion, salidroside inhibits cell proliferation, the cell cycle and metastasis and induces apoptosis, which may be due to its interference in the intracellular ROS generation, thereby, downregulating the ROS-phospho-p38 signaling pathway.

Objective: Radiotherapy becomes more and more important in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) due to the development of technology, especially in unresectable cases. Metformin has a synergistic benefit with radiotherapy in some cancers, but remains unclear in HCC. This study aims to investigate the effect of metformin on radiosensitivity of HCC cells and the roles of specificity protein 1 (Sp1) as a target of metformin. Methods: The SMMC-7721 cell line was exposed to various doses of γ-ray irradiation (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 Gy) and with or without different concentrations of metformin (0, 1, 5, 10, and 20 mM) to measure the radiosensitivity using MTT assay. Flow cytometry was used to determine cell cycle by propidium iodide (PI) staining and apoptosis by Hoechst 33342/PI staining and Annexin V-FITC/PI staining. Real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were performed to analyze the Sp1 mRNA and protein expressions of Sp1 and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) marker E-cadherin and Vimentin. The invasion capability was measured by the Boyden chamber assay. Results: In SMMC-7721 cells exposed to irradiation, metformin reduced proliferation and survival cells at various concentrations (0, 1, 5, 10, and 20 mM) and induced cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and inhibited invasion. In SMMC-7721 cells with irradiation, the mRNA and protein expressions of Sp1 were significantly decreased by metformin as well as a selective Sp1 inhibitor. Metformin attenuated transforming growth factor-β1 induced decrease of E-cadherin and increase of Vimentin proteins. Conclusion: Metformin demonstrated enhanced radiosensitivity and inhibition of EMT in HCC cells. Sp1 might be a target of metformin in radiosensitization.