Abstract: Objective: To determine the effects of sulforaphane on the proliferation and apoptosis of human skin squamous cell carcinoma A431 cell line and the expression level of Cox-2/Akt/GSK3β related protein. Methods: The human skin squamous cell carcinoma A431 cell line was cultured in vitro and divided into the different dose of sulforaphane groups (30 μM, 60 μM, 120 μM), cisplatin group, and sulforaphane+cisplatin group. The relative survival rate and apoptotic rate of A431 cells were detected by CCK8 assay and flow cytometric technology, respectively. The expression levels of Survivin, Casepase-3, Cox-2, Akt, p-Akt, GSK3β and p-GSK3β proteins in A431 cells were detected by Western Blot. Results: Compared with control group, the relative survival rate of A431 cells in the dose of 60 μM, 120 μM of sulforaphane groups, cisplatin group, and sulforaphane+cisplatin group were significantly decreased (P<0.05), apoptotic rate of A431 cells were greatly increased (P<0.05), the expression levels of Survivin, Cox-2, p-Akt, and p-GSK3β were greatly decreased (P<0.05), while the expression level of Caspase-3 was significantly increased (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the relative survival rate, apoptotic rate, expression levels of Survivin, Cox-2, p-Akt, and p-GSK3β and Caspase-3 between the dose of 120 μM of sulforaphane group and cisplatin group (P>0.05). Conclusion: Sulforaphane may play an anti-tumor effect by inducing human skin squamous cell carcinoma apoptosis and suppressing their proliferation. The mechanism may be associated with the decreased activation of Cox-2/Akt/GSK3β pathway.

Key words: sulforaphane, human skin squamous cell carcinoma, proliferation, apoptosis, Cox-2/Akt/GSK3β pathway