Potential suppressive effects of theophylline on human rectal cancer SW480 cells in vitro by inhibiting YKL-40 expression

• Published in: Oncology letters 2018-05, Vol.15 (5), p.7403-7408
• Main Authors: Peng, Hong, Su, Qiang, Lin, Zhong-Chao, Zhu, Xiu-Hua, Peng, Ming-Sha, Lv, Zhen-Bing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Angiogenesis; Care and treatment; Cell cycle; Cell growth; Chitinase; Colorectal cancer; Development and progression; Enzyme inhibitors; Flow cytometry; Gene expression; Genetic aspects; Glycoproteins; Health aspects; Metastasis; Oncology; Proteins; Standard deviation; Studies; Tumors
• ISSN: 1792-1074; 1792-1082
• DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.8220

Chitinase-3-like-1 protein (YKL-40), a member of the mammalian chitinase-like glycoproteins, serves a key role in the pathogenesis of rectal cancer. The present study examined the antitumor effect of theophylline, a pan-chitinase inhibitor, in rectal cancer and investigated the mechanism by which it acted. SW480 cell lines were treated with varying theophylline concentrations (10 , 10 , 10 and 10 mol/l). An MTT assay was used to observe cell proliferation and identify the optimal theophylline concentration. Western blotting was used to analyze YKL-40 expression. The cell cycle distribution of SW480 cell lines treated with theophylline was measured by flow cytometry. The angiopoietin-2 expression level was measured by ELISA. The expression levels of YKL-40 were evidently decreased in theophylline-treated SW480 cell lines. The proliferation of SW480 cells was inhibited following theophylline treatment, which was associated with G phase cell cycle arrest and a decrease in the expression of angiopoietin-2. The mechanism of theophylline action may involve the downregulation of YKL-40 expression, arrest of the cell cycle at G phase and inhibition of angiopoietin-2 expression. These results provide a rationale for the potential use of anti-YKL-40 and anti-angiogenic strategies in treating rectal cancer.