Luteolin exerts an anticancer effect on NCI-H460 human non-small cell lung cancer cells through the induction of Sirt1-mediated apoptosis

Luteolin is a falconoid compound, which exhibits anticancer properties, however, its contribution to Sirt1-mediated apoptosis in human non-small cell lung cancer remains to be elucidated. The present study confirmed that the anticancer effect of luteolin on NCI‑H460 cells was through Sirt1‑mediated apoptosis. The NCI‑H460 cells were treated with different concentrations of luteolin, and a 3‑(4,5‑dimethyl‑2‑thiazolyl)‑2,5‑diphnyl‑2H‑tetrazolium bromide assay, cell cycle analysis and annexin‑V/fluorescein isothiocyanate and propidium double staining were performed to assess the apoptotic effect of luteolin. Wound healing and Transwell assays were performed to confirm the inhibition of NCI‑H460 cell migration. The protein levels of Sirt1 were knocked down in the NCI‑H460 cells using a lentivirus to further investigate the role of this protein, and the expression levels of the apoptotic associated proteins, Bad, Bcl‑2, Bax, caspase‑3 and Sirt1, were measured using western blotting. The results of the present study demonstrated that luteolin exerted an anticancer effect against NCI‑H460 cells through Sirt1‑mediated apoptosis and the inhibition of cell migration.