Additive inhibition of colorectal cancer cell lines by aspirin and bortezomib.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) inhibitor aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid, ASA) and proteasome inhibitor bortezomib in the proliferation and apoptosis of colorectal cancer cell lines.

Methods: MTT assay, trypan blue exclusion and DNA fragmentation have been used to investigate cell proliferation and apoptosis in the presence of drugs. For the determination of Cox activity a colorimetric method was used.