Inhibitory effect of all-trans-retinoic acid and arsenic trioxide on murine hepatocarcinoma cell H22 and transplantation tumor

Objective To study the inhibition effects of arsenic trioxide(As_2O_3)and ATRA(all trans retinoic acid) on murine hepatocarcinoma cell H22 in vitro and in vivo.Methods The transplant tumor mouse model was used to observe the inhibition effects of As_2O_3 and ATRA on H22 cells in vivo.Using MTT assay to determine the inhibition effect of As_2O_3 combined ATRA on the grouth of cultured H22 cells was determined by MTT assay in vitro.Results The combination of As_2O_3 and ATRA could obviously inhibit the growth and proliferation of cultured H22 cells.The inhibition rates were 52.24%.It also had significant anti-tumor activity in transplant hepatoma mice model.The inhibition rates were 66.25%(size) and 62.07%(weight).Conclusion As_2O_3 and ATRA have marked inhibition effects on H22 hepatocarcinoma cells in mice both in vitro and in vivo.The enhanced activity might result from the combination of As_2O_3 and ATRA.