Pooyan Honari, Delavar Shahbazzadeh, Mahdi Behdani, Kamran Pooshang Bagheri,
Volume 14, Issue 56 (9-2024)
Abstract
Aim and Background: Non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients have a frequently poor prognosis and current therapies have large side effects. Numerous studies have been focused on the anti-cancer effects of melittin. Concerning the anti-cancer effects of melittin, this study aimed to evaluate melittin's anti-cancer effects on Calu-3 lung cancer cell line.
Material and Methods: Cytotoxicity of melittin on Calu-3 and MRC5 cells was assessed using MTT assay. Real-Time PCR was used to determine expression of apoptotic and pro-apoptotic BAX, BCL2, and CASP3 genes. Furthermore, a wound healing assay was performed to compare the inhibition effects of melittin on the migration of interested cells.
Results: IC50 values of melittin for Calu-3 and MRC5 were respectively 1.67μg/mL and 3.44μg/mL after 24h. Expression levels of BAX and CASP3 increased ‘2.82 and 4.31’ and ‘1.58 and 4.07’ fold in Calu-3 and MRC5, whereas BCL2 gene expression decreased 0.64 and 0.35-fold in the mentioned cell lines. It is demonstrated that cell migration is inhibited by melittin.
Conclusion: Melittin has an anti-cancer effect on Calu-3 lung cancer cell line. Furthermore, melittin induces apoptosis and inhibits cell migration of lung cancer cells. Melittin increases the apoptotic gene expression level and eventually causes the cells to move toward cell death. In addition, comparing the effects of melittin on Calu-3 cancer cells and MRC5 normal cells, it can be concluded that melittin has inhibitory and apoptotic effects on cancer cells at lower doses.
