Crocetin Enhances the Radiation-Induced Proliferation Inhibition of Siha Cells and is Expected to Become a Radiosensitizer

Abstract

Background Cervical cancer poses a serious threat to women's health and increases the medical burden. Cisplatin combined with radiotherapy is one of the critical treatments for cervical cancer. However, the side effects of cisplatin limit its application as a radiosensitizer.

Purpose This study aims to explore the radiosensitizing effect and mechanism of crocetin in cervical cancer cell lines.MethodWe treat SiHa cells with crocetin and radiation. We used CCK-8 to analyze cell inhibition rate, comet assay and γ-H2AX fluorescence assay to analyze DNA damage, western blotting and PCR to analyze the expression of DNA damage repair proteins and genes, and flow cytometry to analyze cell cycle arrest.

Results In SiHa cells, crocetin enhanced radiation-induced cell proliferation inhibition, enhanced radiation-induced DNA damage, inhibited the expression of DNA damage repair proteins and genes, and induced cell cycle arrest.

Conclusion In this study, crocetin increased radiation damage to SiHa cells by promoting DNA damage, inhibiting the expression of DNA damage repair proteins and genes, and inducing G2/M phase cell cycle arrest, thus exerting a radiation sensitization effect.

Note:
Funding declaration: This work was supported by the Open Project of the State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection Jiangsu Province (Project No. KJS2105).

Conflict of Interests: None.

Keywords: crocetin, radiosensitizer, cervical cancer, DNA damage