title: Cellular and molecular mechanisms of photodynamic hypericin therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells.
abstract: Hypericin-mediated photodynamic therapy (HY-PDT) has become a potential treatment for tumors and nonmalignant disorders. Some studies reported that HY-PDT could lead to apoptosis in some carcinoma cells. However, the molecular mechanism of HY-PDT remains unknown. In this study, we evaluated the molecular mechanisms of hypericin associated with light-emitting diode irradiation on the poorly differentiated human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line CNE-2 in vitro. To comprehensively understand the effects of HY-PDT on CNE-2 cells, we detected cell viability, cell cycle, apoptosis, intracellular glutathione content, and intracellular caspase (caspase-9, caspase-3, and caspase-8) activity. Furthermore, we performed genome-wide expression analysis via microarrays at different time points in response to HY-PDT, and we found that differentially expressed genes were highly enriched in the pathways related to reactive oxygen species generation, mitochondrial activity, DNA replication and repair, cell cycle/proliferation, and apoptosis. These results were consistent with our cytology test results and demonstrated that caspase-dependent apoptosis occurred after HY-PDT. Taken together, both cellular and molecular data revealed that HY-PDT could inhibit the growth of CNE-2 cells and induce their apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: School of Applied Chemistry and Biological, Shenzhen Polytechnic, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaoli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Caihong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xuping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Jinling
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yumin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Junsong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000873:Anthracenes; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D004260:DNA Repair; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010569:Perylene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000873:Anthracenes; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D010569:Perylene; C004965:hypericin; D020169:Caspases; D005978:Glutathione