[Inhibitory effect and mechanism of sodium cantharidate on human tongue squamous cell carcinoma CAL27 cells].

Purpose: To investigate the inhibitory effect of sodium cantharidate (SCA) on human tongue squamous cell carcinoma CAL27 cells and its mechanism.
Methods: CAL27 cells were pretreated with different concentrations of SCA. Cell viability was analyzed by CCK-8 method. The migration and invasion of CAL27 cells were measured by scratch test and Transwell chamber, and the apoptosis rate was measured by flow cytometry. p53 protein and its phosphorylation sites Ser33, Ser37, Ser46, expression of BCL-2, BAX, and cleaved caspase 3 in CAL27 cells were detected by Western blot. Statistical analysis was performed with Graphpad Prism 9.0 software package.
Results: Compared with the blank control group, the proliferation, migration and invasion of CAL27 cells in sodium cantharidate group were significantly decreased, and the apoptosis rate was significantly increased(P＜0.01) in a dose-dependent manner. The expression of p53 protein and its phosphorylation sites Ser33, Ser37, Ser46 protein was significantly up-regulated(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01). The expression of BCL-2 protein was down-regulated and the expression of BAX protein was significantly up-regulated(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01). The ratio of BCL-2/BAX was significantly decreased and the expression of cleaved caspase 3 protein was significantly up-regulated(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).
Conclusions: SCA can inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of human tongue squamous cell carcinoma CAL27 cells. It also down-regulates the ratio of BCL-2/BAX and up-regulates the expression of cleaved caspase 3 protein by regulating the phosphorylation of p53 protein, which induces apoptosis.