Artesunate promotes G2/M cell cycle arrest in MCF7 breast cancer cells through ATM activation

Background Recent studies have revealed that artesunate (ART) has clear anti-tumor activity, suggesting that it could be a good candidate chemotherapeutic agent. In this study, we researched the inhibitory effect of ART on MCF7 cells and explored the possible mechanisms. Methods MTT assay was used to detect the effect of ART on the proliferation of MCF7 cells. Crystal violet staining was used to observe morphological and quantitative changes. Flow cytometry was used to detect the cell cycle of the drug-acting MCF7 cells. In addition, western blotting was used to detect the drug influence on expression of the ATM, phospho-ATM(S1981), H2AX,.H2AX(S139), CHK2 and phospho-CHK2(T68), cdc25C, and phospho-cdc25C(S216). Results In the experimental groups, the proliferation of MCF7 cells was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner and the original cell morphology was lost. The number of G2/M phase cells in the experimental groups increased significantly, and the expression of DNA damage response-associated proteins was significantly increased, such as phospho-ATM(S1981),.H2AX(S139), phospho-CHK2(T68), and phospho-cdc25C(S216). Conclusions ART can inhibit cell proliferation and promote G2/M arrest in MCF7 cells through ATM activation and the ensuing ATM-Chk2-Cdc25C pathway, thus implicating ART as a novel candidate for breast cancer chemotherapy.