5-Aminosalicylic Acid Interferes in the Cell Cycle of Colorectal Cancer Cells and Induces Cell Death Modes

Introduction: Epidemiological data suggests that 5-aminosalicyclic acid (5-ASA), a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases, prevents colorectal cancer development in these patients, although the mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Methods and Results: Here we report that 5-ASA prevents growth of several colorectal cancer cell lines by interfering in the cell cycle, i.e., an S-phase and G2/M phase arrest, dependent on 5-ASA dosage and concentration, together with an increased mitotic index. In addition, prolonged cell cycle arrest by repeated 5-ASA treatment induced apoptosis and caused abnormal spindle organization leading to mitotic catastrophe, another form of cell death. Conclusion: These observations illustrate that 5-ASA has chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic properties.