ABSTRACT
AIM To investigate the effects of Tea Po lyp henols on induction of apoptosis in human liver cancer cell etc. Telomerase acti vity of BEL-7404 cells was dramatically declined during the cell incuba tion with Tea Polyphenols. METHODS MTT colorimetric assay and trypan b lue exclusion method were used to examine the growth inhibition ofTea Polyphenols on BEL-7404 cells. Telomerase activity in cell was determined by PCR-ELISA method. Cell morphology and DNA gel electrophoresis were used to observe the apoptosis. RESULTS The solution of Tea Polyphenols showed dose-dependent and time-dependent inh ibitory effects on the proliferation on BEL-7404 cell line. After treatment wit h 0 2 and 0 1 g?L -1 tea polyphenols for 48 hours, cells displayed DNA ladder bands and typical morphological change of apoptosis included: ce ll shrinkage, membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation, nuclear fragmentation etc. Telomerase activit y of BEL-7404 cells was dramatically declined during the cell incubation with Tea Polyphenols. CONCLUSION Tea Polyphenols has growth inhibiti ng effect and may induce apoptosis in BEL-7404 in a certain dose range. The ant icancer mechanism of Tea Polyphenols might be related to the inhibition of telom erase activity.