Apoptosis and activity change of telomerase induced by paclitaxel in cervical cancer HeLa cells

Objective To study the effects of paclitaxel on human cervical carcinoma HeLa cell line.Methods Human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells were treated with paclitaxel.Cell growth rate was determined with MTT assay,cell morphologic changes were examined under light microscope.Flow cytometry and TUNEL was used to examine apoptotic cells.Bcl-2 gene expression was determined by flow cytometry and telomerase activity by TRAP assay.Results Paclitaxel(0.01～1 μmol/L)induced cytotoxicity in human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells in time-dependent and dose-dependent manner.HeLa cells were arrested at G 2/M phase and resulted in apoptosis by paclitaxel.Telomerase activity was down-regulated in pacilitaxel-induced apoptotic cells.The expression of bcl-2 gene was suppressed after paclitaxel treatment.Conclusions paclitaxel can inhibit cell growth of cervical cancer and induce apoptosis,which may associate with inhibition of telomerase activity and bcl-2 is involved in the regulation of telomerase activity.The mechanisms of pacliaxel will provide theoretical basis for clinical cancer treatments.