Regulation of p53 and bcl-2 genes in apoptosis of human liver cancer cells induced by chemotherapy / 中华肝胆外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective　To determine whether the important apoptosis-related genes of p53 and bcl-2 participate in the regulation of apoptosis of human liver cancer cells by establishing the model of apoptosis of human liver cancer cells induced by mitomycin C (MMC). Methods　The selected human liver cancer cell line HepG2 was treated with 8mg/ml MMC. The morphological changes of the cells were observed using fluorescent and electron transmission microscopy and the DNA fragments of the cells analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis to testify cell apoptosis. The expression of p53 and bcl-2 genes was detected by flow cytometry. Results　The morphological observation and biochemical examination showed that MMC induced the HepG2 cells to undergo apoptosis. After administration of MMC, the expression of p53 gene changed obviously while that of bcl-2 gene was not apparent. Conclusion　p53 plays an important role in the regulation of apoptosis induced by MMC in HepG2 cells. This regulation may be an early event in apoptotic signal pathway. Meanwhile, the apoptosis of the cells is p53-dependent. However, bcl-2 gene may not participate in the control of this apoptosis.