S-phase cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and molecular mechanisms of aplasia ras homolog member I-induced human ovarian cancer SKOV3 cell lines.

Objective: Aplasia Ras homolog member I (ARHI) is associated with human ovarian cancer (HOC) growth and proliferation; however, the mechanisms are unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate ARHI effects in HOC SKOV3 cells.

Methods: We transfected SKOV3 cells with PIRES2-EGFP-ARHI and measured growth inhibition rates, cell cycle distribution, apoptosis rates, and expression of P-STAT3 (phosphorylated signal transduction and activators of transcription 3) and P-ERK (phosphorylated extracellular signal regulated protein kinase).

Results: Our data showed significant inhibition of growth, significantly increased S-phase arrest and apoptosis rates, and reduction of P-STAT3 and P-ERK1/2 expression levels.

Conclusions: We propose the mechanism may involve ARHI-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and STAT3 protein kinases, thereby blocking proliferation signaling pathways, to induce HOC SKOV3 apoptosis.