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Japanese Journal of Cancer Research : Gann logoLink to Japanese Journal of Cancer Research : Gann
. 2001 Apr;92(4):459–466. doi: 10.1111/j.1349-7006.2001.tb01116.x

Chitosan Induces Apoptosis via Caspase‐3 Activation in Bladder Tumor Cells

Masumi Hasegawa 1, Keiko Yagi 1, Seigo Iwakawa 2, Midori Hirai 1,✉
PMCID: PMC5926722  PMID: 11346469

Abstract

Recently, because of its low toxicity and biological effects, chitosan has been widely used in the medical and pharmaceutical fields, e.g., for nasal or oral delivery of peptide or polar drug delivery. Here, we report a growth‐inhibitory effect of chitosan on tumor cells. The growth inhibition was examined by WST‐1 colorimetric assay and cell counting. We also observed DNA fragmentation, which is characteristic of apoptosis, and elevated caspase‐3‐like activity in chitosan‐treated cancer cells. The findings suggest that chitosan may have potential value in cancer therapy.

Keywords: Chitosan, Apoptosis, Caspase, Bladder tumor

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