ArticleCurrent cancer drug targets2023
Sildenafil Inhibits the Growth and Epithelial-to-mesenchymal Transition of Cervical Cancer via the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 Pathway.
Article in Current cancer drug targets, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.
- MMT: A Potential Mechanism of Myocardial Fibrosis - Regulation of the TGF-β1/Smad3 Pathway and Prospects for Targeted Therapy.Reviews in cardiovascular medicine · 2026Review
- Circular RNAs in cervical cancer: from ceRNA networks to epitranscriptomic regulation, immune modulation, and metastatic reprogramming.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- Repurposing of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor sildenafil as a therapeutic agent to prevent gastric cancer growth through suppressing c-MYC stability for IL-6 transcription.Communications biology · 2025Article
- Article
- Synthesis and Antitumor Activity of Brominated-Ormeloxifene (Br-ORM) against Cervical Cancer.ACS omega · 2023Article
- Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
aimsThe study aims to explore new potential treatments for cervical cancer.
backgroundCervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women, causing >250,000 deaths worldwide. Patients with cervical cancer are mainly treated with platinum compounds, which often cause severe toxic reactions. Furthermore, the long-term use of platinum compounds can reduce the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy and increase the drug resistance of cervical cancer. Therefore, exploring new treatment options is meaningful for cervical cancer.
objectiveThe present study was to investigate the effect of sildenafil on the growth and epithelial-tomesenchymal transition (EMT) of cervical cancer.
methodsHeLa and SiHa cells were treated with sildenafil for different durations. Cell viability, clonogenicity, wound healing, and Transwell assays were performed. The levels of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), transforming growth factor-β type I receptor (TβRI), phosphorylated (p-) Smad2 and p-Smad3 in cervical cancer samples were measured. TGF-β1, Smad2 or Smad3 were overexpressed in HeLa cells, and we measured the expression of EMT marker proteins and the changes in cell viability, colony formation, etc. Finally, HeLa cells were used to establish a nude mouse xenograft model with sildenafil treatment. The survival rate of mice and the tumor size were recorded.
resultsHigh concentrations of sildenafil (1.0-2.0 μM) reduced cell viability, the number of HeLa and SiHa colonies, and the invasion/migration ability of HeLa and SiHa cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The expression of TGF-β1, TβRI, p-Smad2 and p-Smad3 was significantly enhanced in cervical cancer samples and cervical cancer cell lines. Sildenafil inhibited the expression of TGF-β1-induced EMT marker proteins (Snail, vimentin, Twist, E-cadherin and N-cadherin) and p-Smad2/3 in HeLa cells. Overexpression of TGF-β1, Smad2, and Smad3 reversed the effect of sildenafil on EMT, viability, colony formation, migration, and invasion ability of HeLa cells. In the in vivo study, sildenafil significantly increased mouse survival rates and suppressed xenograft growth.
conclusionSildenafil inhibits the proliferation, invasion ability, and EMT of human cervical cancer cells by regulating the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathway.
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