Abstract: To inversitigate the drug resistance reversal effect and mechanism of emodin in cisplatinum-resistant ovarian cancer cells SKOV3/DDP (short for cisplatin) in vitro and study the expression of HIF-1α,STAT1,and GSTP1 resistance-associated genes.Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) method was used to detect the reversal index (RI) of SKOV3/DDP cells and the reversal effect of emodin.The resistance-associated genes expression of HIF-1α,CK2α,STAT1,and GSTP1 was detected by Real time PCR.The results showed that noncytotoxic dose of emodin reversed the cisplatin-resistance of SKOV-3/DDP,the reversal index (RI) was 1.91 and 1.30 respectively for 7.8 mg/L and 3.9 mg/L emodin.Compared with SKOV3 cells,expression level of HIF-1α,STAT1,CK2α,and GSTP1 mRNA in SKOV3/DDP was significantly raised(P<0.01).3.9 mg/L and 7.8 mg/L emodin could down regulated the gene expression of HIF-1α,CK2α,and STAT1 in a dose-dependent manner.Though 7.8 mg/L emodin down-regulated GSTP1 mRNA expression,3.9 mg/L emodin had no such effects.The mRNA expression level of those gene was significantly down-regulated when 7.8 mg/L and 3.9 mg/L emodin was combined with DDP (P<0.01).Emodin can down regulate the gene expression of HIF-1α,CK2α,STAT1,and GSTP1 on SKOV-3/DDP cells,which may account for the reversal effect of emodin on cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer cells.

Key words: emodin, cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells SKOV-3/DDP cell line, resistance reversal, HIF-1α, STAT1, GSTP1, CK2α