Synergistic apoptotic effect of crocin and cisplatin on osteosarcoma cells via caspase induced apoptosis

• Combination of crocin and cisplatin has a strong killing effect on osteosarcoma cells.
• Combination of crocin and cisplatin suppresses the ability of invasion of osteosarcoma cells.
• The mechanism might be related to upregulate the expression of caspase-3 and caspase-8.

Crocin is well-known traditional Chinese medicine which is extracted from saffron. However, its role in osteosarcoma has not been well understood. Therefore, we used crocin and cisplatin individually or jointly on MG63 and OS732 cells so as to explore whether crocin could induce cellular apoptosis and suppress the ability of invasion of osteosarcoma cells. Cell survival rates, changes of cellular shape, cell apoptosis and cell invasion were analyzed, respectively, by 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo (-z-y1)-2,5-di- phenytetrazoliumromide (MTT) assay, inverted phase contrast microscope and fluorescence microscope, flow cytometry, and Transwell invasion chamber methods. The expressions of caspase-3 and caspase-8 were detected by Western blot. The survival rate of combined application was significantly lower than that of the individual application. Apoptosis-inducing effect of combined application was much stronger than that of individual application. The invasion ability of MG63 and OS732 cells was restrained significantly in the combined group compared with the individual group and control group. Combined group has the effect of up-regulating the expressions of cleaved-caspase-3 and caspase-8. The results suggested that combination of crocin and cisplatin has a strong killing effect on osteosarcoma cells and suppresses the ability of invasion of MG63 and OS732 cells which might be related to up-regulate the expression of caspase-3 and caspase-8.