Inhibitory effects of lapachol on rat C6 glioma in vitro and in vivo by targeting DNA topoisomeraseⅠ and topoisomeraseⅡ

OBJECTIVE Lapachol is a natural naphthoquinone compound that possesses extensive biological activities.The aim of this study is to investigate the inhibitory effects of lapachol on rat C6 glioma both in vitro and in vivo,as well as the potential mechanisms.METHODS The antitumor effect of lapachol was firstly evaluated in the C6 glioma model in Wistar rats.The effects of lapachol on C6 cell proliferation,apoptosis and DNA damage were detected by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium(MTS)/phenazinemethosulfate(PMS)assay,hoechst 33358 staining,annexinⅤ-FITC/PI staining,and comet assay.Effects of lapachol on topoisomerase I(TOP I)and topoisomeraseⅡ(TOPⅡ)activities were detected by TOPⅠand TOPⅡmediated supercoiled p BR322DNA relaxation assays and molecular docking.TOPⅠand TOPⅡexpression levels in C6 cells were also determined.RESULTS High dose lapachol showed significant inhibitory effect on the C6 glioma in Wistar rats(P<0.05).It was showed that lapachol could inhibit proliferation,induce apoptosis and DNA damage of C6 cel s in dose dependent manners.Lapachol could inhibit the activities of both TOPⅠ and Ⅱ.Lapachol-TOPⅠshowed relatively stronger interaction than that of lapachol-TOPⅡin molecular docking study.Also,lapachol could inhibit TOPⅡexpression levels,but not TOPⅠexpression levels.CONCLUSION These results showed that lapachol could significantly inhibit C6 glioma both in vivo and in vitro,which might be related with inhibiting TOPⅠ and TOPⅡ activities,as wel as TOPⅡ expression.