Tubeimoside I-induced ultrastructural changes of human cervical carcinoma HeLa cell line and the protective effect of cyclosporine A / 南方医科大学学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the ultrastructural changes of HeLa cells in response to tubeimoside I (TBMS1) treatment and the protective effect of cyclosporine A (CsA), and explore the role of intrinsic apoptosis pathway in TBMS1-induced HeLa cell apoptosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HeLa cells were treated with TBMS1 (10-50 micromo/L) alone or in combination with 2 micromol/L CsA for 12 and 24 h and observed with transmission electron microscope (TEM) for the ultrastructural changes of the cells.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>TBMS1 induced apoptosis of HeLa cells in a concentration- and time-dependant manner. Under TEM, the treated cells progressively shrunk and the intercellular space widened with loss of microvillus, mitochondrial swelling, rough endoplasmic reticulum enlargement, chromatin condensation, nuclear shrinkage and nuclear pyknosis as TBMS1 concentration increased. At low concentrations, CsA offered partial protection of the mitochondria from TBMS1-induced damage whereas high-concentration CsA did not.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>TBMS1 induces ultrastructural changes typical for apoptosis of the HeLa cells, which provides morphological evidence for the role of intrinsic apoptosis pathway in TBMS1-induced apoptosis.</p>