Abstract:

Objective To observe the inhibitory effect of Wei Chang An and Si Teng Fang on colon cancer cell strains HCT-116, SW480, and HT-29 and colon cancer stem cells CD133+. Methods Human colon cancer cell strains HCT-116, SW480, and HT-29 were randomly divided into the control group, WCA group (500 mg/L and 1 000 mg/L), and STF group (100 mg/L and 200 mg/L). After 24 h of intervention, cell viability was detected by CCK-8 assay and cell morphology was observed by the inverted microscope. The effects of WCA and STF on the expression of CD133+ in HCT-116, SW480, and HT-29 were analyzed by flow cytometry. Results The results of CCK-8 assay showed that after HCT-116, SW480, and HT-29 cells were intervened by WCA and STF, their viability decreased in a dose-dependent manner. The observation results of the inverted microscope indicated that after 24 h of intervention by WCA and STF, the number of SW480, HT-29, and HCT-116 cells decreased, the cell volume reduced, light shading weakened, and cells suspended, detached, and died. The results of flow cytometry analysis showed that for the control group, proportions of CD133+ cells in cell strains HCT-116, SW480, and HT-29 were 12.52%, 10.98%, and 2.33%, respectively. After 24h of intervention by WCA of 1 000 mg/L, proportions of CD133+ cells dropped to 7.49%, 5.36%, and 0.11%. After 24 h of intervention by STF of 200 mg/L, proportions of CD133+ cells dropped to 7.83% and 6.45%, and 0.18%. Conclusion Proportions of CD133+ cells in different colon cancer cell strains were different. Both WCA and STF can inhibit the proliferation of colon cancer cell strains HCT-116, HT-29, and SW480. But within the same intervention time, only higher concentration of WCA (1 000 mg/L) and STF (200 mg/L) can inhibit the expression of stem cells CD133+ of the three cell strains.

Key words: Wei Chang An, Si Teng Fang, colon cancer stem cells, CD133+