Propofol promotes cell apoptosis via inhibiting HOTAIR mediated mTOR pathway in cervical cancer

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2015 Dec 25;468(4):561-7. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.10.129. Epub 2015 Oct 31.

Abstract

Objectives: Cervical cancer is one of the most common gynecologic malignant tumors. Propofol has been proposed to play a role of antitumor in various cancers. However, the functions and mechanisms of Propofol in cervical cancer is still not clear.

Methods: In vitro, the different concentrations of propofol were co-incubated with cervical cancer cell lines, including Hela, Caski and C-33A cells respectively. The pcDNA-HOTAIR plasmid was transfected into cells after the treatment of 10 μg/ml propofol. The cell viability and apoptosis were detected by MTT assay and TUNEL method. In vivo, propofol was injected into mice of transplantation tumor with Caski cells or with pcDNA-HOTAIR treated Caski cells.

Results: Propofol significantly decreased the cell viability and increased the cell apoptosis in Hela, Caski and C-33A cells, while HOTAIR overexpression promoted cell viability and inhibits cell apoptosis. mTOR/p70S6K protein expression levels were also markedly reduced by propofol but the effects were reversed with pcDNA-HOTAIR. In vivo, propofol inhibited the tumor size but had no inhibition effect in HOTAIR overexpression group.

Conclusion: Propofol inhibited tumor size, cell viability and promoted cell apoptosis via inhibiting mTOR/p70S6K pathway mediated by HOTAIR in cervical cancer.

Keywords: Cervical cancer; Propofol; lncRNAs; mTOR.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Female
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Propofol / administration & dosage*
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / metabolism*
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • HOTAIR long untranslated RNA, human
  • RNA, Long Noncoding
  • mTOR protein, mouse
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Propofol