Abstract

To investigate the role of mitoxantrone in regulating gastric cancer cell phenotypes and the underlying mechanism. To reveal mitoxantrone-induced effects on gastric cancer cell malignancy, AGS cells were divided into different groups according to various study purposes, including negative control, 5 μmol/l mitoxantrone, 10 μmol/l mitoxantrone, 20 μmol/l mitoxantrone, anti-microRNA-negative control, anti-microRNA-211-5p, 20 μmol/l mitoxantrone+microRNA-negative control, and 20 μmol/l mitoxantrone+microRNA-211-5p groups. AGS cell proliferation was detected by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide, while apoptotic rate was quantified via flow cytometry. Bcl-2 associated X-protein, activated caspase-3, phosphorylated-p65 and phosphorylated-IκBα was detected by Western blot for protein expression. Malondialdehyde was detected via colorimetry, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase activity was detected by chemiluminescence, superoxide dismutase activity was measured via colorimetry, and microRNA-211-5p was quantified by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. AGS cell proliferation, superoxide dismutase activity, as well as microRNA-211-5p expression in mitoxantrone groups (5, 10 and 20 μmol/l) were decreased compared with the negative control group, while the apoptotic rate, Bcl-2-associated X-protein and activated caspase-3 protein expression, malondialdehyde content, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase activity were increased. Protein expression of phosphorylated-p65 and phosphorylated-IκBα (inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B) was decreased in the 20 μmol/l mitoxantrone group. The microRNA-211-5p expression, cell proliferation, superoxide dismutase activity, and phosphorylated-p65 and phosphorylated-IκBα protein expression in anti-microRNA-211-5p group were significantly decreased in relative to anti-microRNA-negative control group, while cell apoptosis, Bcl-2-associated X-protein and activated caspase-3 protein expression, malondialdehyde content, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase activity were increased. The microRNA-211-5p expression, cell proliferation, superoxide dismutase activity, and phosphorylated-p65 and phosphorylated-IκBα protein expression in the 20 μmol/l mitoxantrone+microRNA-211-5p group were higher than in 20 μmol/l mitoxantrone+microRNA-negative control group, while apoptotic, Bcl-2-associated X-protein and activated caspase-3 protein expression, malondialdehyde content, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase activity were lower than those in the 20 μmol/l mitoxantrone+microRNA-negative control group. Mitoxantrone repressed gastric cancer cell tumor property by downregulating the microRNA-211-5p/nuclear factor kappa B pathway.