The results of a study indicate that artesunate (ART), a water-soluble derivative of artemisinin, may help in fighting diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cells. The study appeared in the journal Cellular Signaling.
“ART has been reported to exert antineoplastic effects via diverse mechanisms in various types of cancer. Therefore, understanding the underlying mechanism of action of ART in distinct cancer types is indispensable to optimizing the therapeutic application of ART for different types of cancer,” the researchers wrote.
This study aimed to discern the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for the antineoplastic effects of ART in DLBCL cells. The researchers measured cell proliferation using Cell Counting Kit-8 and colony formation assays. Apoptosis levels and cell cycle distribution were assessed using flow cytometry. Additionally, western blotting was used to assess the expression levels of ART-induced apoptosis-, autophagy- and ferroptosis-related proteins. Malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species assays were used to determine the levels of ferroptosis, according to the researchers.
The results showed that ART inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, autophagy and ferroptosis in DLBCL cells. Pharmacological inhibition of autophagy and ferroptosis alleviated the increased levels of apoptosis induced by ART. Notably, ART was found to exert its effects via inhibition of STAT3 activation. The genetic knockdown of STAT3 enhanced ART-induced autophagy and ferroptosis, and concomitantly upregulated the expression levels of apoptosis- and cell cycle-related proteins.
“In conclusion, the findings of the current study suggested that ART may induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest to inhibit cell proliferation and regulate autophagy and ferroptosis via impairing the STAT3 signaling pathway in DLBCL cells,” the researchers concluded.
