Realgar-induced apoptosis of cervical cancer cell line Siha via cytochrome c release and caspase-3 and caspase-9 activation / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the molecular mechanism of realgar-induced apoptosis of cervical cancer cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The cervical cancer cell line Siha was used to determine the cell viability and apoptosis after treatment with realgar using MTT assay and flow cytometry. The activities of caspase-3, -8, and -9 were detected by fluorescence resonance energy transfer technology and colorimetric assay, while the levels of Bcl-2, cytochrome c, and Bax were detected by Western blot method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Induction of apoptosis by realgar was detected in Siha cell line in a dose-dependent manner. The apoptosis was accompanied by a significant increase in cytochrome c release and activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9 but not caspase-8. Further, the realgar-induced apoptosis was inhibited by a broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor, a caspase-3 inhibitor, and a caspase-9 inhibitor but not by a caspase-8 inhibitor. Bcl-2 and Bax protein expressions were not changed by realgar.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The induction of apoptosis by realgar is mediated through a cytochrome c-dependent pathway, which sequentially activates caspase-9 and caspase-3.</p>

Effect of paeonol on proliferation of human ovarian cancer cell line A2780s / 肿瘤

Objective: To investigate the effect of paeonol (Pae) on the proliferation of human ovarian cancer cell line A2780s in vitro. Methods: Inhibitory effects of Pae with different concentrations on A2780s cells were detected by MTT assay. The cell cycle distribution and the apoptosis rate of A2780s cells were determined by flow cytometry (FCM). Results: The proliferation of A2780s cells was significantly inhibited after treatment with Pae (7.81-250.00 mg/L) in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. FCM results showed that the proportion of cells in S phase was increased while which in G0/G1 phase and G2/M phase were decreased after treatment with Pae (31.25-250.00 mg/L) for 48 h. The apoptosis rate of A2780s cells induced by Pae was increased in a concentration-dependent manner. Conclusion: Pae can inhibit the proliferation and induce the apoptosis of human ovarian cancer cells.

Expression of transforming growth factor-beta 1 and connective tissue growth factor in women with pelvic organ prolapse

To investigate the presence of transforming growth factor-beta 1 [TGF-beta 1] and connective tissue growth factor [CTGF] in women with pelvic organ prolapse [POP]. This study was conducted from May to December 2009. Fifty patients with POP that underwent vaginal hysterectomy in the Department of Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Hubei, Wuhan, China were enrolled in this study. They were divided into: Group 1 [n-10]; Group 2 [n=10]; and Group 3 [n=10] according to Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantitation [POP-Q]. Meanwhile, 20 cases treated by vaginal hysterectomy for other benign gynecological diseases were selected as the control group. Immunohistochemical staining and Western blot were performed to detect the expression of TGF-beta 1 and CTGF. Immunohistochemical staining of TGF- beta 1 and CTGF were mainly expressed in the cytoplasm of fibroblast cells. The expression of TGF- beta 1 and CTGF protein was significantly negatively correlated with POP-Q stage. There were significantly positive correlations between the expression of TGF- beta 1 and CTGF protein. The expression of TGF- beta 1 protein among the 3 POP groups were all significantly lower than that of the control group, while there was no significant differences in the expression of TGF- beta 1 protein among the POP groups, excluding the comparison between Groups 1 and 3. The expression of CTGF protein in the 3 POP groups were all significantly lower than that of the control group, and significant differences were also detected among the 3 POP groups. In this study, we found that the TGF- beta 1 and CTGF protein expression may be associated with POP, especially in POP-Q stages