BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Studies have shown that ibuprofen can have an anti-cancer effect on cervical cells, although the mechanism of this effect is not well known in cellular and molecular terms. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cytotoxic concentration of ibuprofen on the activity of caspases -3, -8 and -9 in cervical cancer (Hela) cells.
METHODS: In this experimental-laboratory study, Hela cells were prepared from Pasteur Institute cell Bank and were divided into the control group and groups exposed to 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 mg/ml of Ibuprofen. Viability of cells was measured by MTT assay. The activity level of caspases-3, -8 and -9 was assessed by colorimetric method. The data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA.
FINDINGS: The viability decreased significantly in cervical cancer cells exposed to 0.1 (76%), 1(64%) and 10(15%) mg/ml of ibuprofen compared to control group (100%)(p<0.05, p<0.001 and p<0.001 respectively). The caspases-3، -8 and -9 activity level increased significantly in cervical cancer cells exposed to IC50 dose of ibuprofen compared with control group (p<0.001, p<0.001 and p<0.01 respectively).
CONCLUSION: The results of present study showed that ibuprofen is able to reduce the viability of cervical cancer cells in a dose-dependent pathway, and this pathway is induced by activating of caspases-3, -8 and -9
