Vol 50, No 3 (2012)
Original paper
Published online: 2012-10-08
Cell death in HeLa cells upon imperatorin and cisplatin treatment
DOI: 10.5603/FHC.2012.0052
Folia Histochem Cytobiol 2012;50(3):381-391.
Abstract
There is growing evidence that commonly applied chemotherapy regimens can be improved by introducing
new, specific, active and low side-effect drugs, or by combining substances to obtain the required clinical
effect. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of imperatorin and cisplatin, applied separately
or in combination, on apoptosis, necrosis and autophagy induction in the human cervical carcinoma cell line
(HeLa). Imperatorin appeared to be a potent autophagy inducer, rather than a necrotic or apoptotic one. In
contrast, cisplatin induced mainly apoptosis and necrosis after 6 h and 24 h, while longer incubation resulted
only in necrosis induction. When HeLa cells were incubated with both drugs, autophagy appeared most frequently,
although to a smaller extent than that observed after imperatorin administered alone. At the molecular
level, autophagy was correlated with the presence of the cleaved form of microtubule-associated protein 1 light
chain LC3 — LC3II. It was also accompanied by the inhibition of heat shock proteins Hsp27 and Hsp72 expression.
Our results indicate that imperatorin alone, or in combination with cisplatin, is mainly an autopahgy inducer
in HeLa cells.
new, specific, active and low side-effect drugs, or by combining substances to obtain the required clinical
effect. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of imperatorin and cisplatin, applied separately
or in combination, on apoptosis, necrosis and autophagy induction in the human cervical carcinoma cell line
(HeLa). Imperatorin appeared to be a potent autophagy inducer, rather than a necrotic or apoptotic one. In
contrast, cisplatin induced mainly apoptosis and necrosis after 6 h and 24 h, while longer incubation resulted
only in necrosis induction. When HeLa cells were incubated with both drugs, autophagy appeared most frequently,
although to a smaller extent than that observed after imperatorin administered alone. At the molecular
level, autophagy was correlated with the presence of the cleaved form of microtubule-associated protein 1 light
chain LC3 — LC3II. It was also accompanied by the inhibition of heat shock proteins Hsp27 and Hsp72 expression.
Our results indicate that imperatorin alone, or in combination with cisplatin, is mainly an autopahgy inducer
in HeLa cells.
