Background: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a member of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), which is slow-growing and high metastasis. UV exposed from the sun or tanning beds is one of the risk factors of SCC developing. Nowadays, SCC treatments include surgery, photodynamic therapy, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, but it is unsatisfactory. Therefore the finding of new therapeutic target is necessary.

Objective: To investigate the effect of T. bellirica extract on anti-proliferation and apoptosis induction in highly metastasis epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells.

Materials and Methods: Cytotoxicity, cell viability and cell proliferation were determined by MTT assay. Nuclear morphological changes and protein expression were determined by Hoechst staining and Western blot analysis, respectively.

Results: T. bellirica extract showed anti-proliferative effect on A431 cells. Hoechst staining revealed chromatin condensation and apoptotic bodies induction in A431 treated cells by T. bellirica extract. In addition, apoptosis induction via up-regulartion of Bax, Bik, and Bok as well as down-regulation of Mcl-1was obtained. Moreover, T. bellirica extract showed apoptosis induction through caspase-7 protein activation.

Conclusion: This study showed that T. bellirica extract inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis induction in A431 treated cells. The results indicated that T. bellirica extract may be further developed as skin cancer protection product. However the underlying mechanisms of apoptosis induction in A431 cells should be further studied.

Keywords: Skin cancer, T. bellirica extract, Apoptosis, Anti-proliferation