Acetylshikonin Induces Apoptosis in Human Colorectal Cancer HCT-15 and LoVo Cells via Nuclear Translocation of FOXO3 and ROS Level Elevation

Figure 1

Cell viability and antiproliferative effect of acetylshikonin-treated HCT-15 and LoVo cells. (a) The cytotoxic effect of acetylshikonin on HCT-15 and LoVo cells. Human colorectal cancer cells HCT-15 and LoVo cells, and normal human colon fibroblast CCd-18Co cell were treated with acetylshikonin with concentrations ranging from 0 to 10 μM for 24, 48, and 72 h. The cell viability was analyzed by MTT assay. (b) Acetylshikonin inhibits cell survival and proliferation of HCT-15 and LoVo cells. The cell numbers were analyzed by the cell counting assay after HCT-15 and LoVo cells ( cells/plate) were treated with acetylshikonin (0, 1.25, 2.5, and 5 μM) for 0, 24, 72, and 120 h. (c) Acetylshikonin suppresses the colony-forming ability of HCT-15 and LoVo cells. The colony numbers of cells were analyzed by the colony forming assay. HCT-15 and LoVo cells (500 cells/well) were treated with acetylshikonin (1.25 μM) or the control for 24 h and cultured for 12 days. The representative images of the assays are shown. The bar graphs represent a quantitation of the number of acetylshikonin-treated HCT-15 and LoVo colonies. Data are represented with the of triplicated results. Single and double asterisks indicate significant differences from the control cells ( and , respectively).

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