RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Ethacridine Induces Apoptosis and Differentiation in Thyroid Cancer Cells In Vitro JF Anticancer Research JO Anticancer Res FD International Institute of Anticancer Research SP 4095 OP 4100 DO 10.21873/anticanres.13567 VO 39 IS 8 A1 TUNG-SUN HUANG A1 JIE-JEN LEE A1 YING-SYUAN LI A1 SHIH-PING CHENG YR 2019 UL http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/39/8/4095.abstract AB Background/Aim: Ethacridine is used as a topical antiseptic as well as for second-trimester abortion. Recent studies showed that ethacridine is an inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) and an activator of the transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ). This study examined the effects of ethacridine on thyroid cancer cells. Materials and Methods: Thyroid cancer cell lines (FTC133 and SW1736) and thyroid follicular epithelial cells (Nthy-ori 3-1) were treated with ethacridine. Viability, clonogenicity, cell-cycle distribution, and apoptosis were evaluated. The expression of thyroid differentiation markers (TTF-1, PAX8, and NIS) was determined by real-time PCR. Results: Ethacridine suppressed cell growth and clonogenic ability of thyroid cancer cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner (p<0.001). No cell-cycle arrest was found, but ethacridine dose-dependently induced apoptosis of thyroid cancer cells (p<0.001). The PAX8 and NIS expressions were significantly increased in SW1736 (3.41-fold and 1.53-fold, respectively) and Nthy-ori 3-1 cells (2.73-fold and 4.12-fold, respectively). Conclusion: Ethacridine elicits apoptotic cell death in thyroid cancer cells and promotes differentiation in a subset of thyroid follicular cells.