Synergistic in vitro anti-tumor effect of letrozole and everolimus on human endometrial carcinoma Ishikawa cells

X.-Y. Lu, Y. Yang, H. Xu, T. Zeng, Z.-Z. Zhang

Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Xuzhou Medical College Affiliated Hospital, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. xy_lu68@aliyun.com

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• Oncology

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the in vitro effect of the use of combination of letrozole and everolimus on the proliferation and apoptosis of human endometrial carcinoma Ishikawa cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Different concentrations of letrozole alone or in combination with everolimus were added to Ishikawa cell cultures in vitro. Cell viability was assessed using MTT assay. Double staining with Annexin-V-FITC was used to detect the cell apoptosis by the flow cytometry (FCM). The expression of PTEN and 4E-BP1 proteins was analyzed with Western blotting.

RESULTS: Letrozole by itself inhibited cell viability and decreased the invasiveness of Ishikawa cells. The anti-tumor effect of letrozole in combination with everolimus was improved compared to letrozole alone.

CONCLUSIONS: Letrozole and everolimus synergistically inhibit the proliferation and induce cell apoptosis by inhibiting the cell signal pathway PI3K/Akt/mTOR and inducing cell apoptosis, thus showing a promising anti-tumor effectiveness.

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