Abstract:

Abstract:Objective
To investigate the effects of ATRA on the proliferation and migration abilities and membranous distribution of Cx32 and Cx43 of colorectal cancer cells  Caco-2 and SW480 and to elucidate the potential mechanism.Methods The colorectal cancer cell lines Caco-2 and SW480 were divided into ATRA treatment groups and control groups.The Caco-2 and SW480 cells were treated with 1×10^-8，1×10^-7，1×10^-6，1×10^-5 and 1×10^-4 mol•L^-1 ATRA,and MTT assay was applied to detect the inhibitory rates of growth of Caco-2 and SW480 cells.After the SW480 cells were treated with the 1×10-5 and 1×10-4 mol•L^-1 ATRA,the wound healing assay was employed to determine the cell migration ability and flow cytometry was used to analyze membranous distribution of Cx 32 and Cx 43 in SW480 cells.Results Compared with control group,the growth inhibitory rates of Caco-2 and SW480 cells in ATRA groups after treated with 1×10-4 mol•L^-1 for 24,48 and 72 h were significantly increased（P＜0.01）;the migration abilities of SW480 cells were dramatically decreased after treated with 1×10^-5 mol•L^-1 ATRA for 24 and 48 h （P＜0.05）;the membranous distribution of Cx 32 and Cx 43 of SW480 cells was remarkably increased after treated with 1×10^-5 and 1×10^-4 mol•L^-1 ATRA for 24 and 48 h（P＜0.05）.Conclusion ATRA could increase the membranous distribution of Cx32 and Cx43 of colorectal cancer cells and inhibit the proliferation and migration abilities,which may be involved in the interaction between connexins and cytoplasmic proteins,as well as alteration of gap junctional intercellular communication.

Key words: colorectal cancer cells;all-trans retinoic acid;connexin 32；connexin 43