Effects of melittin on expressions of mitochondria membrane protein 7A6, cell apoptosis-related gene products Fas and Fas ligand in hepatocarcinoma cells / 中西医结合学报

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of melittin on the expressions of mitochondria membrane protein 7A6, cell apoptosis-related gene products Fas and Fas ligand (FasL) in hepatocarcinoma cells in vitro and to study the mechanisms of melittin in inducing apoptosis of hepatocarcinoma cells. METHODS: BEL-7402 cell line was treated with melittin in vitro. The expressions of mitochondria membrane protein 7A6, cell apoptosis-related gene products Fas and FasL were detected by flow cytometry. Fas and FasL mRNAs were analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay. RESULTS: The expression rates of mitochondria membrane protein 7A6 of BEL-7402 hepatocarcinoma cells in 8, 16, 32 microg/ml melittin-treated and control groups were 4.89%, 17.74%, 11.45% and 1.02%, respectively. The expression of Fas protein was up-regulated by melittin, while FasL expression did not change. RT-PCR results showed that Fas mRNA expression was up-regulated by 32 microg/ml melittin and FasL mRNA expression was not observed. CONCLUSION: The effects of melittin in inducing hepatocarcinoma cell apoptosis may be related with up-regulating the expressions of mitochondria membrane protein 7A6 and Fas protein.