Diosgenin regulates proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion of human esophageal cancer Eca109 cells via the MAPK signaling pathway

AIM:To investigate the effects of diosgenin on the proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion of human esophageal Eca109 cells and to explore the underlying mechanisms. METHODS:MTT and transwell experiments were executed to detect the effects of diosgenin on the proliferation, migration and invasion of Eca109 cells. Western blot was applied to detect the expression of c-Jun N-terminal of stress-activated protein kinase(JNK), extracellular signalregulated kinase(Erk1/2) and the p38 kinase of the mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) pathway. RESULTS:Compared with the control group, Eca109 cells treated with 50 g/mL of diosgenin for 48 h showed significantly decreased proliferation, migration(16.54 vs 34.12, P < 0.05) and invasion(9.42 vs 26.99, P < 0.05) but increased apoptosis(0.24 vs 0.64, P < 0.05). Moreover, diosgenin treatment significantly decreased the expression of p-p38 protein(1.66 vs 0.23, P < 0.05) but had no significant effect on the expression of JNK, Erk1/2, p38, p-JNK, or p-Erk1/2. CONCLUSION:Diosgenin regulates the proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion of Eca109 cells possibly via the p-p38 pathway.