Morphological changes of mitochondria in apoptosis of human ovarian cancer cells induced by arsenic trioxide in vitro / 第三军医大学学报

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the morphological changes of mitochondria and the expression of bcl-2 in the apoptotic SKOV3 and 3AO cells induced by arsenic trioxide (As2O3). Methods Light and electron microscopy, flow cytometry analysis, immunofluorescence flow cytometry analysis were used to detect the apoptotic cells, ultrastructural alteration of mitochondria, and the changes of mitochondrial transmembrane potentials (??m). Results As2O3 induced apoptosis of ovarian cancer cell lines was in a dose dependent manner and various in different cell lines. As2O3 also made a decrease of ??m in SKOV3 and 3AO cells in a dose independent fashion. Electron microscopy indicated that the mitochondria showed swollen, balloon-like appearance and outer membrane disrupted 72 h after As2O3 treatment. Expression of bcl-2 was down-regulated in SKOV3 and 3AO cells after As2O3 treatment. Conclusion The reduce of ??m and down-regulation of bcl-2 may play the key roles in the process of As2O3-induced apoptosis.