Niclosamide induces growth inhibition and apoptosis through down-regulation of PDGFRβ and STAT3 in human chondrosarcoma cells

Background: and objectives Chondrosarcoma is a destructive neoplasm of chondrocytes. Surgery is the principal procedure for this condition. The efficacy of traditional chemotherapy drugs is controversial. Niclosamide is an antihelminthic drug used to treat parasitic infections for nearly 50 years. However recent studies suggested that niclosamide might have the inhibitory effects of cancer. Methods: We investigated the efficaciousness of niclosamide on a chondrosarcoma cell line SW1353.To determine the efficacy of niclosamide on chondrosarcoma, MTT, Flow cytometry, and DAPI assays were used to determine the effects of niclosamide. We determine the activity of niclosamide on the expression of the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway, and the phosphorylation of PDGFRβ and STAT3. Results: Niclosamide dramatically inhibited cell growth and triggered apoptosis. And niclosamide down-regulated the expression of p- PDGFRβ and p-STAT3. Furthermore, niclosamide significantly reduced cyclin D1, Rb expressing, which were concurrent with the cell cycle block. We also found a decrease in p-MEK, p-ERK, Bcl-xl, and Bcl-2. Conclusion: These results suggested that niclosamide effectively induced growth inhibition in vitro. And niclosamide could a new therapeutic method for chondrosarcoma.