Qilan preparation(芪蓝颗粒) inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis by down-regulating microRNA-21 in humaqin Tca8113 tongue squamous cell carcinoma cells

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the antitumor effects of Qilan preparation(芪蓝颗粒) on oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC) in vitro and to investigate its underlying mechanisms of action. METHODS: Cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were examined using cell counting kit-8(CCK8) and flow cytometry(FCM). The expression of PTEN and PDCD4 were determined by western blot. Changes in miR-21 levels were quantified using Taq Man stem-loop real-time PCR. After miR-21 was transiently transfected into Tca8113 cells using Lipofectamine?3000, cell proliferation, apoptosis and miR-21 and PDCD4 expression levels were measured. RESULTS: Qilan preparation inhibited Tca8113 cell growth in a dose-and time-dependent manner by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in S-phase, decreasing miR-21 levels and increasing PTEN and PDCD4 expression. Mi R-21 overexpression reversed the Qilan preparation-induced suppression of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis while also blocking the increase in PDCD4.CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed, for the first time, the ability of Qilan preparation to suppress TSCC cell growth and elucidated that Qilan preparation elicits its anti-cancer actions via either the miR-21/PDCD4 or PTEN pathway.