Cryptotanshinone sensitizes antitumor effect of paclitaxel on tongue squamous cell carcinoma growth by inhibiting the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Cryptotanshinone, a natural compound isolated from the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge (Danshen), has been found to induce cancer cells apoptosis and impair cell migration and invasion in various malignancies, but its antiproliferation and chemosensitization effects of Cryptotanshinone on tongue squamous cell carcinoma(TSCC)still remain fully elucidated. In this study, the effects of Cryptotanshinone on the proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle of human TSCC cells, including CAL 27 and SCC 9 cells, were measured. The results demonstrated that Cryptotanshinone dose-dependently inhibited cell migration and proliferation, and induced apoptosis in TSCC cells.