EFFECTS OF URSOLIC ACID ON THE PROLIFERATION, ADHESION AND INVASION OF A549 LUNG ADENOCARCINOMA CELLS AND THE EXPRESSION OF GLYCOSYLTRANSFERASE GENE Β3GNT8

Xing Shuli¹, Dong Yongshu² 

¹Henan Medical College, Zhengzhou, Henan, China - ²Henan Academy of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan, China

Objective: To investigate the effects of ursolic acid on the proliferation, adhesion and invasion of A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells and the expression of glycosyltransferase gene β3GnT8.

Methods: The effects of ursolic acid at different concentrations ( 5μmol/L,10μmol/L, 20μmol/L, 30μmol/L, 40μmol/L, 50μmol/L) on the proliferation of A549 cells were detected by MTT assay; adhesion test and Transwell invasion test were used to detect the effects of low concentration (10μmol/L) ursolic acid and high concentration (40μmol/L) ursolic acid on the adhesion and invasion ability of A549 cells; the expression of β3GnT8 gene at mRNA level was detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR, and the expressions of CD147 and MMP-2 at mRNA and protein levels were further detected.

Results: With the increase of ursolic acid concentration, the ability of proliferation, adhesion and invasion of A549 cells was lower than that of the control group (P<0.05), showing a concentration dependence; the expression of β3GnT8 at mRNA level decreased (P<0.05), and the expression of CD147 and MMP-2 at mRNA and protein level also decreased(P<0.05).

Conclusion: Ursolic acid could inhibit the proliferation, adhesion and invasion of A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells, and its mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of β3GnT8 gene expression.