Purpose: To investigate the effect of arylsulfonyl indoline-benzamide (ASIB) on the viability of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells, and the underlying mechanism of action.
Methods: The viability of C666 and NPC 039 cells was determined using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) 2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Cell migration was analysed by wound healing assay, while protein expression levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), p50, p65 and NF κB were assayed using western blotting.
Results: MTT assay results showed that ASIB treatment led to significant and dose-dependent reductions in the viability of C666 and NPC 039 (p ˂ 0.05). The migration and invasive potential of C666 cells were decreased on incubation with ASIB for 48 h. Western blotting data showed significant decrease in MMP 2/9 expressions in C666 cells on treatment with ASIB (p ˂ 0.05). The levels of p65 and p50 in the nuclear fraction of C666 cells were markedly lower than those in the negative control group. Arylsulfonyl indoline-benzamide (ASIB) treatment for 48 h decreased the level of NF κB expression in C666 cells (p ˂ 0.05). The volume of tumor excised from ASIB-treated NPC mice was lower than that of the untreated group.
Conclusion: Arylsulfonyl indoline-benzamide (ASIB) exhibits inhibitory effects on the viability and metastasis potential of NPC cells. Thus, it may be beneficial in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma but this has to be further investigated
