Abstract:

Objective: To study the effects of melatonin(MLT),carboplatin (CBP),and MLT combined with CBP on the proliferation and apoptosis of human ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells,and to clarify the synergistic effect of MLT and CBP.Methods: The ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells were divided into control group,MLT groups (1and 2mmol·L^-1),CBP groups (12.5,25.0 and 50.0mg·L^-1)and combined treatment groups (MLT combined with CBP with different concentrations). The apoptotic rates and inhibitory rates of proliferation of SKOV3 cells were detected with MTT assay and flow cytometry(FMC),and the expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax in ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells were detected by RT-PCR assay.Results:The MTT results showed that the inhibitroy rates of proliferation of SKOV3 cells in combined groups were higher than those in MLT groups and 50.0mg·L^-1 CBP group(P<0.05). 2mmol·L^-1 MLT combined with 50mg·L^-1 CBP obtained the best result,and the inhibitory rate was (70.7±4.2)% which was higher than that in 50.0mg·L^-1 CBP group (P<0.05). The FCM results showed that the apoptotic rates of SKOV3 cells in combined groups were higher than those in MLT groups and 50.0mg·L^-1 CBP group(P<0.05). The apoptotic rate of SKOV3 cells in 2 mmol·L^-1MLT+ 50.0 mg·L^-1 CBP group was (58.9±2.0)% which was higher than that in 50.0mg·L^-1 CBP group (P<0.05).The expression levels of Bax gene in combined groups were increased(P<0.05),and the expression levels of Bcl-2 gene were decreased (P<0.05)compared with CBP groups with the same doses. Conclusion: MLT can enhance the inhibitory effect of proliferaion and apoptosis induction of CBP on the ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells in vitro. It induces the apoptosis of SKOV3 cells through enhancing the Bax expression and down-regulating the Bcl-2 expression.

Key words: melatonin, carboplatin, ovarian neoplasms, cell proliferation, apoptosis