Abstract:Objective To investigate the effects and mechanism of ursolic acid on the growth and migration of human tongue cancer Tca8113 cells in vitro. Methods The effects of ursolic acid on the viability of Tca8113 were detected by MTT assay and colony formation assay. The effects of ursolic acid on the migration of Tca8113 cells at 0 h, 12 h and 24 h were detected by scratch test. Heochst33342 staining and flow cytometry were performed to observe the effects of ursolic acid on the apoptosis of Tca8113 cells. Western blotting was used to detect the effects of ursolic acid on the expression of Bcl-2, Bax, Cleaved Caspase-3, p-Fak and Fak. Results Ursolic acid inhibited the viability of Tca8113 cells and promoted apoptosis in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. The mechanism lies in that ursolic acid increased apoptosis of Tca8113 cells by inhibiting the expression of Bcl-2 and increasing the expression of of Bax, resulting in the increasing expression of Cleaved caspase-3. And ursolic acid inhibited migration of Tca8113 cells by decreasing the expression of p-Fak and Fak. Conclusions Ursolic acid significantly inhibited the growth and migration of tongue cancer Tca8113 cells, which may be related to the regulation of Bcl-2/BAX apoptotic pathway and inhibition of Fak activation.