Studies on the Mechanisms of Arsenic Trioxide-inducing Apoptosis in Human Ovarian Carcinoma Cells

objective To explore the mechanisms of arsenic trioxide inducing apoptosis in human ovarian carcinoma cell line 3AO cells.Methods Human ovarian carcinoma cell line 3AO cells were used as experimental object in vitro. Trypan blue dye exclusion assay was used to observe the growing inhibited rates of 3AO cells by various concentration arsenic trioxide(As 2O 3).Mitochondrial transmembrance potential(△Ψm) was detected by the flow cytometry(FCM).After being treated by As 2O 3,3AO cells apoptosis phenotype was observed by acridine dyjng under fluorescent microscopy.Results As 2O 3 could inhibited the growth of 3AO cells significantly in dose and time dependent manner( P 0 05).Compared with control group, 3 μmol/L As 2O 3 treatment for 48 hours, PI -Rh123 - cells were increased significantly, P 0 05.Characteristic morphologic features of apoptosis could be observed in 3AO cells treated by As 2O 3.Conclusions As 2O 3 might inhibit the 3AO cells growth by inducing apoptosis and its mechanism might be related to the loss of △Ψm.