The effects of 20(R)-Rg3 on lung carcinoma A549 cell line and endogenous VEGF secreted by tumor cells

Objective: To assess the effect of 20(R)-Rg3 on the inhibition of angiogenesis of lung cancer and explore its role in the change of endogenous VEGF secreted by A549 tumor cells themselves. Methods: A549 tumor cells were cultured with different concentrations of 20(R)-Rg3(10^-7 mol/L, 10^-6 mol/L, 10^-5 mol/L and 10^-4 mol/L), the VEGF contents were detected by ELASA method after 24 h, 48 h and 72 h. Cellular proliferation was detected by MTT method, and apoptosis was detected with flow cytometry. Results: It was found that Rg3 had no significant inhibitory effect on the proliferation of A549 cells. The apoptosis rate was 29.8% after the cells being interfered with Rg3 at 3 × 10^-6 mol/L for 120 h. The levels of VEGF in the groups of Rg3 at 10^-5 mol/L and 10^-4 mol/L were lower than that in the contrast group (P<0.05). The level of VEGF in the group of 10^-4 mol/L was lower than that in the group of 10^-7 mol/L and group of 10^-6 mol/L, and it was lower after 72 h of interference than that after 24 h and 48 h of interference. Conclusion: With the action of 20 (R)-Rg3, the level of VEGF secreted by A549 tumor cells themselves declined; the apoptosis of A549 tumor cells increased, especially at higher concentration and longer action time of Rg3. This might be one of the antiangiogenesis mechanisms of 20(R)-Rg3.