Inactivated Tianjin strain, a novel genotype of Sendai virus, induces apoptosis in HeLa, NCI-H446 and Hep3B cells

The Sendai virus strain Tianjin is a novel genotype of the Sendai virus. In previous studies, ultraviolet-inactivated Sendai virus strain Tianjin (UV-Tianjin) demonstrated antitumor effects on human breast cancer cells. The aim of the present study was to investigate the in vitro antitumor effects of UV-Tianjin on the human cervical carcinoma HeLa, human small cell lung cancer NCI-H446 and human hepatocellular carcinoma Hep 3B cell lines, and the possible underlying mechanisms of these antitumor effects. A 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay revealed that UV-Tianjin treatment inhibited the proliferation of HeLa, NCI-H446 and Hep 3B cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Hoechst and Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide double staining indicated that UV-Tianjin induced dose-dependent apoptosis in all three cell lines with the most significant effect observed in the HeLa cell line. In the HeLa cell line, UV-Tianjin-induced apoptosis was further confirmed by the disruption of the mitochondria membrane potential and the activation of caspases, as demonstrated by fluorescent cationic dye and colorimetric assays, respectively. In addition, western blot analysis revealed that UV-Tianjin treatment resulted in significant upregulation of cytochrome c, apoptosis protease activating factor-1, Fas, Fas ligand and Fas-associated protein with death domain, and activated caspase-9, -8 and -3 in HeLa cells. Based on these results, it is hypothesized that UV-Tianjin exhibits anticancer activity in HeLa, NCI-H446 and Hep 3B cell lines via the induction of apoptosis. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate that in the HeLa cell line, intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways may be involved in UV-Tianjin-induced apoptosis.