Effect of Chloroquine on Doxorubicin-induced Apoptosis in A549 Cells

Abstract

Background/aim: We investigated the effects of chloroquine, an autophagy inhibitor, on doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in A549 cells.

Materials and methods: A549 cells were treated with doxorubicin, chloroquine, or both. Then, cytotoxicity was measured. The expression levels of caspases and mitogen-activated protein kinases were also quantified. In addition, the levels of doxorubicin-derived reactive oxygen species were measured.

Results: Chloroquine enhanced doxorubicin-induced apoptosis and oxidative stress and suppressed the doxorubicin-induced extracellular-signal-regulated kinase activation.

Conclusion: Chloroquine enhances doxorubicin-induced and oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis. This mechanism may involve the dephosphorylation of extracellular-signal-regulated kinases.

Keywords: A549 cells; Chloroquine; apoptosis; autophagy; caspase; doxorubicin; extracellular-signal-regulated kinase; oxidative stress.