title: Effect of norcantharidin on the proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle of human mesangial cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Norcantharidin (NCTD) regulates immune system function and reduces proteinuria. We sought to investigate the effect of NCTD on proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle of cultured human mesangial cells (HMC) in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  HMC cells were divided into a normal control group, and various concentrations of NCTD group (2.5, 5, 10, 20, or 40 μg/mL). Cell proliferation was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, apoptosis was detected by Annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) assays, and morphological analysis was performed by Hoechest 33258 staining. Finally, cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NCTD dose and time dependently inhibits HMC proliferation significantly (p < .05). Apoptosis dose and time dependently increased after NCTD treatment. Cell-cycle analysis revealed that the number of cells in the G2 phase increased significantly, whereas the fraction of cells in the S phase decreased, especially 24 h after 5 μg/ml NCTD treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NCTD inhibits HMC cell proliferation, induces apoptosis, and affects the cell cycle.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nephrology , The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region , Guangxi , China.
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nephrology , The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region , Guangxi , China.
authors.forename: Qiaoyu
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nephrology , The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region , Guangxi , China.
authors.forename: Zhifeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nephrology , The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region , Guangxi , China.
authors.forename: Yunfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: b Department of Nephrology , The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University , Hunan , China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: b Department of Nephrology , The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University , Hunan , China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nephrology , The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region , Guangxi , China.
authors.forename: Xiaomei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D050527:Mesangial Cells / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; C069741:norcantharidin
keywords: Mesangial cell; apoptosis; cell cycle; norcantharidin; proliferation