The effect of shikonin on cisplatin-induced apoptosis in MG-63 cancer cell line in osteosarcoma patients

Abstract

Recently, various studies have focused on the therapeutic potential of shikonin in various human malignancies, including osteosarcoma. However, the underlying mechanisms in shikonin-mediated anticancer effects are still not fully understood. Therefore, the present study investigated the effect of shikonin on cisplatin-induced apoptosis through DNA damage in MG-63 cells. Methods MG-63 cells were treated with cisplatin, shikonin and a combination of both, and cell viability was evaluated by MTT method. The expression of γ-H2AX protein, one of the important markers of DNA damage, was evaluated using western blot. Flourimetry was used to measure the amount of ROS. Apoptosis was also investigated by flow cytometry. Results cisplatin resulted in significant inhibition of cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. The combination of cisplatin and shikonin resulted in significant inhibition of proliferation compared to single treatments (P<0.05). Shikonin also induced apoptosis through increased expression of γ-H2AX and increased levels of ROS. Furthermore, shikonin increased cisplatin-induced apoptosis in MG-63 cells.