Different effects of bile acids, ursodeoxycholic acid and deoxycholic acid, on cell growth and cell death in human colonic adenocarcinoma cells.

Secondary bile acids have been implicated as an important etiological factor in colorectal cancer. We investigated the effects of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and deoxycholic acid (DCA) on the growth and cytotoxicity in HT29 human colonic adenocarcinoma cells. Proliferation assay, cell cycle analysis and cell death characterization by bile acids were performed. Both UDCA and DCA reduced their proliferation rate of HT29 over 48 h in a concentration- and time-dependent manner compared with control cultures. In terms of cell cycle effects, however, UDCA induced G2/M arrest, while DCA induced G1 arrest in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. As for the effects of each bile acid on cell toxicity, UDCA induced early apoptosis and DCA induced both early apoptosis and necrosis. Bile acids play an important role in regulating cell survival and cell death in colon adenocarcinoma cells.