Abstract:

Objective To investigate the effect of bufalin on chemosensitivity to human osteosarcoma cells Saos-2 and U2OS in vitro. Methods Saos-2 and U2OS cells were treated with bufalin at nontoxic dosage in combination with 0.01, 0.1, 1.0μg／ml doxorubicin（ADM） or 0.5, 1.0, 2.0μg／ml cisplatin（DDP）， cell proliferation was determined by CCK-8 assay， the morphological changes of cell apoptosis were observed by Hoechst 33258 staining， and apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometric analysis. Results CCK-8 assay showed that proliferation inhibition of bufalin on human osteosarcoma cells Saos-2 and U2OS was in a dose-dependent manner， and 0.005μmol／L bufalin in combination with ADM or DDP could enhance proliferation inhibition of Saos-2 and U2OS cells compared with ADM or DDP alone（q＞1.15）. Hoechst 33258 staining indicated that bufalin combined with ADM or DDP showed more obvious morphological changes of apoptosis in cells than ADM or DDP alone. Flow cytometric analysis showed that the apoptosis rates of 0.005μmol／L bufalin combined with 1.0μg／ml DDP or 2.0μg／ml ADM was significantly higher than those of cells treated with ADM or DDP alone（q＞1.15, P＜0.05）.
ConclusionBufalin at non-toxic dosage can enhance ADM or DDP-induced cell apoptosis of human osteosarcoma cells， showing effect of chemotherapy sensitization.