Anti-tumor Mechanism of Artemisinin / 中国药房

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE:To detect the expression of genes of leukemia cell line K562 treated by artemisinin using the gene chip technology and to study the mechanism of artemisinin in the inhibition of leukemia cell line K562 on the molecular level. METHODS:K562 cells were treated with artemisinin for 24h,and then the morphological change of K562 cells were observed under invert microscope and fluorescence microscope. The cell cycle state was examined by flow cytometry analysis (FCM). Total RNA samples were extracted and reverse transcribed to cDNA. Cy3-labelled cDNA samples were hybridized with gene chips.The hybridization results were detected by Gene Pix 4100A. RESULTS: Under invert microscope,different degree of shrinkage of K562 cells was noted,karyoschisis was reduced,cell density was decreased and the numbers of drift cells were increased.Under fluorescence microscope,caryotin was highly concentrated,marginalized and agglomerated to relucent clump,i.e.apoptotic body. Flow cytometric analysis showed that ratio of cells in G2 phase increased markedly. Hybridization analysis showed down-regulation of cyclin D1,cdk4,cdk2,cdc2,DNA-PK,DNA-TopoI,mcl-1,erk,jnk and VEGF in the artemisinin-treated K562 cells.CONCLUSION: The mechanism for artemisinin to inhibit the proliferation of leukemia cell line K562 is related to its action to alter the gene expression of certain regulatory substances involved in cell cycle and induce apoptosis of leukemia cell line K562.