BACKGROUND: Activation of Notch signaling was found to be associated with cancer. Gambogic acid (GA) was reported to be an anti-cancer agent. This study investigated the anti-cancer effect of GA on human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Involvement of the Notch pathway was also studied.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: GA at 0, 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 μmol/l was used to incubate A549 and SPC-A1 cells. MTT assay was used to determine the cell viability. TUNEL assay was used to detect the apoptosis. Western blotting was used to evaluate protein expression levels, protein phosphorylation levels, and nuclear translocation levels.

RESULTS: Notch signaling pathway was activated in NSCLC cells. GA treatment significantly inhibited NSCLC cell viability and increased cell apoptosis. GA treatment significantly decreased the expression levels of DLL1, DLL3, DLL4, Jagged1, Jagged2, Bcl2, and PK3K, inhibited NICD nuclear translocation and Akt phosphorylation, and increased expression level of active caspase3.

CONCLUSIONS: GA inhibited NSCLC cell viability by inducing apoptosis. Inhibition of the Notch signaling pathway was the mechanism involved in the anti-proliferation effect of GA on NSCLC.

Keywords: Receptors, Notch