Tanshinone IIA inhibits proliferation and activates apoptosis in C4-1 cervical carcinoma cells in vitro

Figures & data

Figure 1. Effect of different concentrations of Tan IIA on proliferation and morphology of C4-1 cells. Cell growth inhibition (A) and morphology (B) of C4-1 cells.

Note: C4-1 cells were grown in DMEM with or without the indicated concentrations of Tan IIA for 5 days and were plated in 96-well plates. (A) Cell proliferation inhibition rate (CPIR) was calculated on day 5 based on MTT assay results. Data are expressed as mean values from three independent experiments. ^#P < 0.05, *P < 0.01 vs. the control, determined by ANOVA and post hoc Bonferroni multiple comparisons test. (B) Morphology of C4-1 cells with or without Tan IIA on day 5 was observed using inverted microscopy (magnification 50×).

Table 1. Effect of Tan IIA treatment on proliferation of C4-1 cells.

Tan IIA concentration (mg/L)	Treatment time (d)
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
0	0.48 ± 0.01	0.50 ± 0.03	0.56 ± 0.04	0.62 ± 0.03	0.68 ± 0.02	0.79 ± 0.04	0.89 ± 0.12
0.5	0.42 ± 0.02	0.40 ± 0.04	0.39 ± 0.02	0.38 ± 0.02	0.35 ± 0.04	0.30 ± 0.02	0.29 ± 0.12^#
1.0	0.39 ± 0.07	0.35 ± 0.04	0.37 ± 0.04	0.34 ± 0.04	0.32 ± 0.07	0.31 ± 0.06	0.28 ± 0.04^#
2.0	0.33 ± 0.04	0.30 ± 0.02	0.28 ± 0.14	0.24 ± 0.14	0.19 ± 0.06	0.18 ± 0.05	0.15 ± 0.06*
5.0	0.26 ± 0.03	0.24 ± 0.03	0.22 ± 0.03	0.20 ± 0.12	0.17 ± 0.04	0.16 ± 0.04	0.13 ± 0.04*

Note: Data are presented as mean absorbance values (A₄₅₀) with standard deviation (±SD).

^#p < 0.05 compared with the control group. *p < 0.01 compared with the control group.

Figure 2. Effects of different concentrations of Tan IIA on apoptosis of C4-1 cells.

Note: Cell apoptosis was assayed by flow cytometry using PI and FITC staining.

Figure 3. Effects of different concentrations of Tan IIA on expression of Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3 proteins in C4-1 cells.

Note: Protein expression levels were detected by Western blotting. GAPDH was used as internal control and normalized to 100%. The results were similar in three separate experiments. Quantitative analysis of the relative levels of target proteins was done using the NIH ImageJ software. ^#P < 0.05, *P < 0.01 vs. the control.

Figure 4. Effects of different concentrations of Tan IIA on protein expression of HPV E6/E7 in C4-1 cells.

Note: Protein expression levels were detected by Western blotting. GAPDH was used as internal control and normalized to 100%. The results were similar in three independent experiments. Quantitative analysis of the relative levels of target proteins was done using the NIH ImageJ software. P < 0.01 vs. the control.