Effect of acidic culture conditions on the proliferation, apoptosis, and migration ability of human tongue squamous cell carcinoma cells and its related mechanism.

This study aims to explore the effect of acidic culture conditions on the proliferation, apoptosis, and migration ability of human tongue squamous cell carcinoma SCC15 and CAL27 cells and its potential molecular mechanism.After acidic culture for different periods, methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) method was adop-ted to detect the cell proliferation of SCC15 and CAL27. Flow cytometry was employed to detect the apoptosis level of SCC15 and CAL27 cells. The migration ability of SCC15 and CAL27 after acidic culture was detected by scratch hea-ling test. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) and survivin in SCC15 and CAL27 cells after acidic culture.After culture for 24 h under acidic microenvironment, SCC15 and CAL27 cells grew rapidly and reached the stationary phase after adjustment for 3 days. The apoptosis levels of SCC15 and CAL27 cells decreased after acidic culture, but the most significant reduction occurred after 6 h of acidic culture. The scratch healing rates of SCC15 and CAL27 cells increased after acidic culture. The results of FQ-PCR showed that the mRNA expression levels of COX-2 and survivin in SCC15 and CAL27 cells increased after acidic culture.Extracellular acidic microenvironment can inhibit the apoptosis of tongue squamous carcinoma cells, promote their migration, and induce more adaptable and malignant tongue squamous carcinoma cells. The mechanism may be related to COX-2 and survivin and their signal pathways.目的: 探究酸性培养条件对人舌鳞癌细胞SCC15和CAL27增殖、凋亡、迁移能力的影响及潜在的分子机制。方法: 在pH6.2的酸性培养液中分别培养一定时间，噻唑兰（MTT）法检测舌鳞癌细胞SCC15和CAL27增殖能力；流式细胞分析法检测SCC15和CAL27细胞凋亡水平的改变；划痕愈合实验检测SCC15和CAL27迁移能力改变；实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应（FQ-PCR）检测酸性培养后SCC15和CAL27细胞中COX-2与survivin基因表达情况。结果: 酸性培养24 h的SCC15和CAL27细胞生长曲线显示，细胞酸性培养后，经历2~3 d生长相对缓慢的调整期，之后快速增长达到生长平衡期。酸性培养后SCC15和CAL27细胞凋亡水平降低，以酸性培养6 h细胞凋亡率下降最为显著。酸性培养后SCC15和CAL27细胞划痕愈合率提高。FQ-PCR检测结果显示酸性培养后SCC15和CAL27细胞中COX-2和survivin表达均升高。结论: 酸性培养可抑制舌鳞癌细胞凋亡，促进其迁移，诱导出适应性更强、恶性程度更高的舌鳞癌细胞，其机制可能与COX-2和survivin及其涉及的信号通路有关。.