Effect of thalidomide in combination with gemcitabine on human pancreatic carcinoma SW-1990 cell lines in vitro and in vivo

Qiao,Zhenguo; Yuan,Jigang; Shen,Jiaqing; Wang,Chao; He,Zhilong; Hu,Yijia; Zhang,Muxing; Xu,Chunfang

doi:10.3892/ol.2015.3064

Effect of thalidomide in combination with gemcitabine on human pancreatic carcinoma SW-1990 cell lines in vitro and in vivo

Authors:
- Zhenguo Qiao
- Jigang Yuan
- Jiaqing Shen
- Chao Wang
- Zhilong He
- Yijia Hu
- Muxing Zhang
- Chunfang Xu
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Affiliations: Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Wujiang Hospital of Nantong University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215200, P.R. China, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, P.R. China, Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215006, P.R. China
Published online on: March 20, 2015 https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2015.3064
Pages: 2353-2360

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Abstract

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most frequently occurring malignancies worldwide and it is the fourth most common cause of cancer‑associated mortality in Western countries. Thalidomide (THD) plays an important role in tumor therapy, as it is able to promote early stage apoptosis and inhibit the process of angiogenesis. The present study evaluated the ability of the combination of THD and gemcitabine (GEM) to inhibit the growth of the pancreatic cancer SW‑1990 cell line in vitro and in vivo. Early apoptosis in the SW‑1990 cells was detected by the Annexin V/propidium iodide double staining method, the level of B‑cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl‑2) and Bcl‑2‑associated X protein (Bax) were detected by reverse transcription‑polymerase chain reaction (RT‑PCR) and western blot analysis. In addition, the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in transplanted tumor tissue was measured by RT‑PCR, immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. Cluster of differentiation 34 positivity was considered to indicate the microvessel density. Subsequent to treatment with THD and GEM alone or in combination, it was found that the expression of Bax was upregulated, while the expression of Bcl‑2 was downregulated, and the growth of SW‑1990 cells and transplanted tumors in nude mice was evidently inhibited. The administration of THD in combination with GEM may demonstrate a potent antitumor effect that increases with increasing dose. The mechanism behind the antitumor effect may be associated with the inhibition of tumor angiogenesis and induction of the apoptosis pathway.

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