Empirical studies about quercetin increasing chemosensitivity on human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549

Objective

The present study was designed to investigate whether quercetin exerts increasing chemosensitivity on human lung adenocarcinoma cells when quercetin combined with cisplatin (DDP) and vincristine (VCR) in vitro respectively and its possible antitumor mechanism. To provide experimental proof for clinical combination application.

Methods

Using intermittent administration of high dose VCR, human lung adenocarcinoma sensitive cell line (A549/S) was induced to VCRresistant human lung adenocarcinoma cell line (A549/VCR). MTT assay was adapted for examing the 50% inhibition (IC₅₀) value of DDP and VCR on A549/S and A549/VCR when quercetin combined with DDP and VCR respectively.

Results

IC₅₀ of DDP on A549/S and A549/VCR was 10.18 and 12.35 mg/L, and the IC₅₀ of VCR on the two cell lines was 1.21 and 12.77 mg/L, respectively. The resistance fold of A549/VCR on VCR and DDP was 10.55 and 1.21, respectively. When quercetin at concentration of 50, 100 and 200 μmol/L in combination with DDP and VCR respectively, the IC₅₀ of DDP and VCR on A549/S and A549/VCR were obvious decreased (P < 0.05–P < 0.01).

Conclusion

The experiment results suggested that quercetin could increase the chemosensitivity and partly revise the resistance of A549/VCR.