title: [Inhibitory effect of sodium valproate on human lung carcinoma SPC-A1 cell proliferation and the mechanism].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of sodium valproate (VPA) on the proliferation and apoptosis of human lung carcinoma SPC-A1 cells and the underlying mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effect of VPA on the proliferation of SPC-A1 cells was evaluated by MTT assay and clone formation assay. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the apoptosis of the cells exposed to VPA. The changes in the expressions of Bcl-xl, Bcl-2, Mcl-1, caspase-9, and caspase-3 in the exposed cells were detected by Western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Incubation with VPA for 48 h resulted in a significant inhibition of SPC-A1 cell proliferation, with a IC(50) of 1.8 mmol/L. VPA treatment also inhibited cell colony formation and induced obvious cell apoptosis. Exposure to 8 mmol/L VPA for 48 h caused a percentage of early apoptotic cells of 60.44%. VPA treatment at different concentrations for 48 h obviously lowered the protein levels of Bcl-xl, Bcl-2, and Mcl-1 and induced caspase-9 and caspase-3 activation in SPC-A1 cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VPA can inhibit the proliferation of SPC-A1 cells by triggering mitochondrion-dependent apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China. doctorhuangzhh@sohu.com
authors.forename: Zhihong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Liuhong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Zhiming
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wenpu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Jianwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D064549:Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C494811:BCL2L1 protein, human; D064549:Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051020:bcl-X Protein; D014635:Valproic Acid; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; C506433:CASP9 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D053453:Caspase 9