A Study on the Effects and Mechanism of Arsenic Trioxide in Inducing Apoptosis of Colonic Cancer Cell Line / 中国医师杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the effects and molecular mechanisms of arsenic trioxide(As 2O 3) in inducing apoptosis of colonic cancer cell line SW480. Methods The morphologic changes and apoptotic rate of SW480 cells induced by As 2O 3 were observed with fluorescent microscopy and flow cytometry. The bcl-2 and Fas expressions induced by As 2O 3 in SW480 cells were examined by immunohistochemical method. Results 24 hours after exposed to As 2O 3, SW480 cells exhibited typical morphologic changes of apoptosis, the apoptotic rate of which was 2.1%～10.6%. A typical subdiploid peak before G 1 phase was observed by flow cytometry, and As 2O 3 mainly acted in G 2/M phase. As 2O 3 decreased bcl-2 expression and increased Fas expression in SW480 cells. Conclusion As 2O 3 could induce apoptosis of SW480 cells. The molecular mechanism of As 2O 3-induced apoptosis of SW480 cells might be down-regulating the bcl-2 expression and up-regulating the Fas expression.