Apatinib Inhibits The Proliferation Of Colon Cancer Cells By Down-Regulating The Vegfr2-Plc-Erk1/2 Pathway

Objective: To analyze the effect of apatinib on colon cancer cells via the VEGFR2-PLC-ERK1/2 pathway. Methods: Human colon cancer cell line LS174T in the logarithmic phase of growth were treated with apatinib solution at concentrations of 0, 25, 50, and 100 mol/L for 24, 48, and 72 hours, respectively. CCK-8 detected cell proliferation, flow cytometry evaluated the cell apoptosis and cell cycle. Western blot was used to detect the phosphorylation of key enzymes in VEGFR2-PLC-ERK1/2 pathway and expression of related apoptotic proteins. Results: Compared with 0 mol/L, the absorbance of LS174T cells at 25, 50, and 100 mol/L decreased significantly after 24, 48, and 72 h of cell culture (P < 0.05); and the inhibitory effect of apatinib on colon cancer cells was increased in a dose/time-dependent manner. The apoptosis rate of the control group was (6.55 +/- 1.08)% which is significantly different from (12.58 +/- 1.36)% (24 h), (18.85 +/- 1.37)% (48 h) and (25.74 +/- 143)% (72 h) in the 100 mol/L apatinib group (P < 0.05). Apatinib-induced apoptosis exhibited a time-dependent relationship. Compared with the control group, the 100 mol/L apatinib group showed a decrease in S-phase and G2/M-phase cells and an increase in G0/G1-phase cells (P < 0.05), while the expression of pPCL and pERK1/2 proteins in the 100 mol/L apatinib group decreased at 24, 48, and 72 h (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Apatinib can inhibit the proliferation of colon cancer cells and accelerate apoptosis, which was related to the inhibition of phosphorylation of key proteases in the VEGFR2-PLC-ERK1/2 pathway.