Abstract: Paclitaxel resistant ovarian cancer A2780/Taxol cells were divided into control group and sanguinarine group.The cells in control group were treated without sanguinarine.The cells in sanguinarine group were treated with different concentrations of sanguinarine (0.67 μmol/L,1.0 μmol/L,2.0 μmol/L).The proliferation,apoptosis,cycle and the expression of Bax,TGF-beta 1,Smad3 were determined by MTT,clone formation,flow cytometry and Western blot assays.It was found that the proliferation of A2780/Taxol cells were significantly inhibited by 2.0 μmol/L of sanguinarine.Compared to the control group,the expressions of Bax protein increased and TGF-β1,Smad3 protein decreased (P<0.05).Hence,it was concluded that sanguinarine can effectively inhibit the growth of A2780/Taxol cells by down-regulating the TGF-β1/Smad3 pathway and inducing cell apoptosis.

Key words: sanguinarine, ovarian cancer, paclitaxel resistance, TGF-&beta, 1/Smad