EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTS OF IBUPROFEN CYTOTOXIC DOSE ON EXPRESSION LEVEL OF EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX DEGRADING MMP-9 AND ANTI-METASTASIS NM23 GENES IN CERVICAL CANCER CELLS

Background & Aim: Although studies have shown that ibuprofen has anticancer effects on many cancer cells, the mechanism of the ibuprofen anticancer effect in cancer cells is not still well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cytotoxic concentration of ibuprofen on the expression level of MMP-9 and NM23 genes in cervical cancer cells. Materials & Methods: During this experimental-laboratory study, cervical cancer (Hela) cell line was purchased from Pasteur Institute. The cells were divided into groups treated with 0.0001, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 mg/ml of ibuprofen and control (untreated) group. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay and the expression level of MMP-9 and NM23 genes was evaluated using RT-PCR technique. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA.  Results: 1 and 10 mg / ml of ibuprofen significantly reduced cell viability in Hela cancer cells (P <0.05 and P <0.001, respectively). 1 mg / ml of ibuprofen had no significant effect on MMP-9 gene expression level, however, significantly decreased NM23 gene expression level (P <0.001). Conclusion: Although lower concentrations of ibuprofen have no cytotoxic effects on cervical cancer cells, higher concentrations can reduce viability in cervical cancer cells. High concentration of ibuprofen did not affect the expression level of extracellular matrix degrading (MMP-9) gene, however, it may increase the metastatic potential of cervical cancer cells by reducing the expression level of NM23 anti-metastatic gene.