[Effects of artesunate on the invasion of lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells and expression of ICAM-1 and MMP-9].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Artesunate, an anti-malarial drug, elicits an inhibitory effect on pulmonary carcinoma. However, the mechanisms of artesunate activity on pulmonary carcinoma have not been completely elucidated. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of artesunate on the invasion of human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells. METHODS: The inhibitory effect of artesunate on the proliferation and invasion of A549 cells was determined in vitro by MTT assay and transwell chamber invasion assay, respectively. A nude mouse model of human lung A549 cell xenograft tumor was established. The inhibitory effect of artesunate on the tumor of the mouse model as well as ICAM-1 and MMP-9 protein expressions were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: A low dose of artesunate ranging between 1.25 μg/L and 5 μg/L did not significantly inhibit the proliferation of A549 cells in vitro. By contrast, 1.25 μg/L artesunate inhibited the invasion of A549 cells in vitro as determined by transwell chamber invasion assay (96.33 ± 6.41 vs 75.43 ± 4.37, P<0.05). Although 10 mg/kg artesunate did not significantly inhibit A549 xenograft tumor proliferation (P>0.05), artesunate decreased the ICAM-1 and MMP-9 protein levels in the mouse model (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Artesunate could inhibit the invasion of human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells by possibly downregulating ICAM-1 and MMP-9 expressions.