Selective apoptosis in HeLa cells induced by sodium butyrate and its mechanism / 中国医学科学院学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate apoptosis induced by sodium butyrate in cervix cancer cell line HeLa and primary human embryo lung fibroblasts and its mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Cell apoptosis was assessed by morphology, cell viability, DNA fragmentation, the percentage of sub-G1 cells and phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization. The effects of sodium butyrate on transcription of Bax and Bcl-2 was analyzed by RT-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Sodium butyrate inhibited proliferation in a time and dose-dependant manner. The inhibition of proliferation in HeLa cells was more significant than that in primary human embryo lung fibroblasts. DNA fragmentation, sub-G1 peak and AnnexinV/PI by flow cytometry showed very high apoptosis rates in HeLa cells 72 hours after treated with sodium butyrate, while pretty low in primary human embryo lung fibroblasts. RT-PCR showed sodium butyrate had little effects on transcription of Bax and Bcl-2 in HeLa cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Sodium butyrate can induce apoptosis in HeLa cells without changing the expression of Bax and Bcl-2. Sodium butyrate comparatively has little effects on fibroblasts.</p>