Tanshinone IIA induces apoptosis in human oral cancer KB cells through a mitochondria-dependent pathway.

Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA), an active phytochemical in the dried root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, has shown an antiproliferative activity on various human cancer cell lines including nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. However, the effects of Tan IIA on human oral cancer cells are still unknown. This study aimed to investigate the antiproliferative effects of Tan IIA on human oral cancer KB cells and explored the possible underlying mechanism. Treatment of KB cells with Tan IIA suppressed cell proliferation/viability and induced cell death in a dose-dependent manner through sulforhodamine B colorimetric assay. Observation of cell morphology revealed the involvement of apoptosis in the Tan IIA-induced growth inhibition on KB cells. Cell cycle analysis showed a cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase on Tan IIA-treated cells. The dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential observed by flow cytometry and the expression of activated caspases with the cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase under immunoblotting analysis indicated that Tan IIA-induced apoptosis in KB cells was mediated through the mitochondria-dependent caspase pathway. These observations suggested that Tan IIA could be a potential anticancer agent for oral cancer.