title: Quercetin inhibits proliferation and drug resistance in KB/VCR oral cancer cells and enhances its sensitivity to vincristine.
abstract: Quercetin has been confirmed to possess antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant properties. Herein, we evaluated their antitumor activity in vitro by using KB/VCR oral cancer cells. We found that quercetin at 25 to 100 μmol/L effectively inhibited the migration and invasion of KB/VCR cells. Quercetin at dose ranging from 25 to 100 μmol/L significantly inhibited the growth of the KB/VCR cells and at 50 μmol/L arrested cells at the G1 phase and decreased the amount of cells in the S and G2 phase. Apoptosis analysis showed that quercetin at 50 or 100 μmol/L induced apoptosis of KB/VCR cells by suppressing expression of Bax and inducing the expression of Caspase-3 and Bcl-2. Furthermore, we also confirmed that quercetin from 25 to 100 μmol/L reversed gene-encoded Pglycoprotein (P-gp)-mediated MDR in KB/VCR cells by inhibiting the expression of P-gp. For combination treatment with vincristin (0.375 μmol/L) and quercetin (50 μmol/L), the proliferation rate significantly decreased and apoptosis rate significantly increased. This study provided evidence that quercetin induced apoptosis and reversed drug resistance in oral tumor cells and may be a potential candidate for other tumors treatment.
authors.affiliation: a Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Nanfang Hospital , Southern Medical University , Guangzhou , China.
authors.forename: Zhaohu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Huili
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ziyou
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Yanqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Shumei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Bingyi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D018435:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000819:agonists* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D016193:G1 Phase / Q000187:drug effects; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000517:prevention & control; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011794:Quercetin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014750:Vincristine / Q000819:agonists* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: C513055:ABCB1 protein, human; D018435:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000975:Antioxidants; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D014750:Vincristine; D011794:Quercetin