title: Preliminary study on the mechanism of oridonin-induced apoptosis in human squamous cell oesophageal carcinoma cell line EC9706.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the apoptosis-inducing effect of the Chinese medicine oridonin in the human oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell line EC9706, in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effect of oridonin on cell proliferation was studied using the colorimetric 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Effects on the cell cycle and apoptosis were studied by flow cytometry; effects on intracellular Ca(2+) concentration were studied by measuring the fluorescence intensity of a fluorescent Ca(2+) probe by laser scanning confocal microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The EC9706 cell-proliferation rate decreased with time and oridonin concentration (10-40 µmol/l). The number of cells in G0 and G1 phases increased significantly following exposure to oridonin for 48 and 72 h respectively, and oridonin was shown to be most effective at inducing apoptosis in EC9706 cells at 40 µmol/l. Compared with the control group, all concentrations of oridonin tested (10-40 µmol/l) significantly increased the Ca(2+) fluorescence intensity of EC9706 cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oridonin was shown to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in the human oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell line EC9706, in vitro. These data provide preliminary experimental evidence for the anticancer effects of oridonin, which is as a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat various cancers, including oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Further studies are required to elucidate the mode of action.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, First Clinical Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Jun-Bao
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China Experimental Centre, First Teaching Hospital of Henan, Chinese Medicine University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China zhongyi450003@163.com.
authors.forename: Jing-Yu
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Yue
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D045786:Diterpenes, Kaurane / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D000077277:Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; D059585:G1 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D045786:Diterpenes, Kaurane; C011959:oridonin
keywords: Apoptosis; EC9706 cells; oesophageal carcinoma; oridonin