Inhibitory Effect of Tanshinone IIA Extracted from Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae on Melanoma B16F10 Cells

Abstract

In this study, we investigate the inhibitory effects of Tanshinone IIA on the proliferation and migration of B16F10 melanoma cells and its potential mechanism of action. We cultured B16F10 melanoma cells in vitro and treated them with varying concentrations of tanshinone IIA. The inhibitory effect of tanshinone IIA on B16F10 cells was assessed using the CCK-8 assay, employing methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium. Melanin content was determined by the NaOH cleavage method, while expression levels of melanin-related proteins were analyzed by Western blotting, and migration-related proteins were quantified using ELISA. When the concentration of Tanshinone IIA reached 20 and 40 μg/mL, there was a decrease in the survival rate of B16F10 melanoma cells. The proliferation inhibition rate of B16F10 melanoma cells gradually increased with the duration of drug action and the concentration of Tanshinone IIA. After 48 hours, there was an increase in melanin content. A comparison of melanin synthesis at the three concentrations yielded an F value of 61.820 and P <0.001. The relative expression levels of TYR, TRP-1, TRP-2, and MITF increased when treated with different concentrations of Tanshinone IIA (P < 0.05). MMP-2 and MMP-9 were downregulated when the concentration of Tanshinone IIA was at 40 and 80 μg/mL respectively (P <0.05). In conclusion, our study demonstrated the inhibitory effects of Tanshinone IIA on growth, proliferation, migration, and melanin synthesis in B16F10 melanoma cells. However, further research is needed to elucidate the specific signal transduction pathway activated by Tanshinone IIA.