Tanshinone IIA inhibits the growth of pancreatic cancer BxPC-3 cells by decreasing protein expression of TCTP, MCL-1 and Bcl-xL

Pancreatic cancer remains a challenging disease worldwide. Tanshinone IIA (Tan-IIA) is one of the active constituents of Danshen (Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae). Tan-IIA has been hypothesized to inhibit numerous human cancer cells by various molecular mechanisms. However, the efficacy and molecular mechanism of Tan-IIA action in pancreatic cancer has not been well studied. In the present study, the cytotoxicity of Tan-IIA in human pancreatic cancer BxPC-3 cells was evaluated by MTT assay. Cell cycle analysis of BxPC-3 cells treated with Tan-IIA was performed by flow cytometry (FACS). Protein expression levels of TCTP, MCL-1, Bcl-xL, Bax and Caspase-3 in BxPC-3 cells were measured by western blot analysis. The results revealed that Tan-IIA inhibited BxPC-3 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. FACS analysis demonstrated that Tan-IIA increases the rate of sub-G, phase. BxPC-3 cells treated with Tan-IIA were identified to upregulate protein expression of Bax and Caspase-3 and downregulate expression of TCTP, MCL-1 and Bcl-xL. These results indicate that Tan-IIA may inhibit BxPC-3 human pancreatic cancer cells through the induction of apoptosis by decreasing protein expression of TCTP, MCL-1 and Bcl-xL and increasing Bax expression in vitro. The chemotherapeutic potential of Tan-IIA for human pancreatic cancer warrants further study.