BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Both mDRA-6, a monoclonal antibody of death receptor 5 (DR5) in human cells prepared by our key laboratory, and nimesulide, a specific cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, can induce apoptosis of some malignant tumor cells. This study was to investigate the lethal effects of mDRA-6 and nimesulide on human hepatocellular cancer cell line SMMC-7721, and explore the possible mechanism. METHODS: The expression of DR5 on SMMC-7721 cells was detected by flow cytometry (FCM). SMMC-7721 cells were treated with mDRA-6 and nimesulide alone or in combination. Cell morphology was observed under microscope with Hoechst33258 staining. Cytotoxicity was examined by MTT assay. Cell apoptosis was detected by FCM. RESULTS: The positive rate of DR5 on SMMC-7721 cells was 95.0%. The apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells could be induced by both mDRA-6 and nimesulide: the apoptosis rates were 10.5% when treated with 25 ng/mL mDRA-6 for 12 h, 35.0% when treated with 1 600 ng/mL mDRA-6, 5.0% when treated with 200 micromol/L nimesulide, and 34.0% when treated with 800 micromol/L nimesulide. The combination of mDRA-6 and nimesulide exhibited synergistic effect on the apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells (q=1.23): the apoptosis rates were 31.2% when treated with 200 micromol/L nimesulide and 25 ng/mL mDRA-6 for 12 h, and 91.1% when treated with 200 micromol/L nimesulide and 1 600 ng/mL mDRA-6 for 12 h. CONCLUSIONS: Both mDRA-6 and nimesulide can induce the apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells. The combination of mDRA-6 and nimesulide exhibits synergistic lethal effect on SMMC-7721 cells.
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Both mDRA-6, a monoclonal antibody of death receptor 5 (DR5) in human cells prepared by our key laboratory, and nimesulide, a specific cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, can induce apoptosis of some malignant tumor cells. This study was to investigate the lethal effects of mDRA-6 and nimesulide on human hepatocellular cancer cell line SMMC-7721, and explore the possible mechanism. METHODS: The expression of DR5 on SMMC-7721 cells was detected by flow cytometry (FCM). SMMC-7721 cells were treated with mDRA-6 and nimesulide alone or in combination. Cell morphology was observed under microscope with Hoechst33258 staining. Cytotoxicity was examined by MTT assay. Cell apoptosis was detected by FCM. RESULTS: The positive rate of DR5 on SMMC-7721 cells was 95.0%. The apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells could be induced by both mDRA-6 and nimesulide: the apoptosis rates were 10.5% when treated with 25 ng/mL mDRA-6 for 12 h, 35.0% when treated with 1 600 ng/mL mDRA-6, 5.0% when treated with 200 micromol/L nimesulide, and 34.0% when treated with 800 micromol/L nimesulide. The combination of mDRA-6 and nimesulide exhibited synergistic effect on the apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells (q=1.23): the apoptosis rates were 31.2% when treated with 200 micromol/L nimesulide and 25 ng/mL mDRA-6 for 12 h, and 91.1% when treated with 200 micromol/L nimesulide and 1 600 ng/mL mDRA-6 for 12 h. CONCLUSIONS: Both mDRA-6 and nimesulide can induce the apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells. The combination of mDRA-6 and nimesulide exhibits synergistic lethal effect on SMMC-7721 cells.