Abstract
Aim:
Dexamethasone (DEX) is a widely used synthetic glucocorticoid, which has shown anti-cancer efficacy and anti-estrogenic activity. In this study we explored the possibility that DEX might be used as an endocrine therapeutic agent to treat human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Methods:
The viability and proliferation of human NSCLC cell lines A549 and H1299 were assessed in vitro. Anti-tumor action was also evaluated in A549 xenograft nude mice treated with DEX (2 or 4 mg·kg−1·d−1, ig) or the positive control tamoxifen (50 mg·kg−1·d−1, ig) for 32 d. The expression of estrogen sulfotransferase (EST) in tumor cells and tissues was examined. The intratumoral estrogen levels and uterine estrogen responses were measured.
Results:
DEX displayed mild cytotoxicity to the NSCLC cells (IC50 >500 μmol/L) compared to tamoxifen (IC50 <50 μmol/L), but it was able to inhibit the cell proliferation at low micromolar ranges. Furthermore, DEX (0.1–10 μmol/L) dose-dependently up-regulated EST expression in the cells, and inhibited the cell migration in vitro. Triclosan, a sulfation inhibitor, was able to diminish DEX-caused inhibition on the cell viability. In A549 xenograft nude mice, DEX or tamoxifen administration remarkably suppressed the tumor growth. Moreover, DEX administration dose-dependently increased EST expression in tumor tissues, and reduced intratumoral estrogen levels as well as the volumes and weights of uterine.
Conclusion:
DEX suppresses the growth of A549 xenograft tumors via inducing EST and decreasing estradiol levels in tumor tissues, suggesting that DEX may be used as anti-estrogenic agent for the treatment of NSCLC.
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Acknowledgements
This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No 81273583).
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Wang, Lj., Li, J., Hao, Fr. et al. Dexamethasone suppresses the growth of human non-small cell lung cancer via inducing estrogen sulfotransferase and inactivating estrogen. Acta Pharmacol Sin 37, 845–856 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/aps.2016.39
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/aps.2016.39
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