EffectS of Arsenic Trioxide on Growth and Proliferation of Human Hepatoma Cancer Cells in Vitro

Objective This study was to research the effect of arsenic trioxide (As2O3) on human hepatoma cancer cell line BEL7402 and its mechanisms in vitro.Methods MTT assay was used to observe the growth inhibitory rate of BEL7402 cells treated with As2O3;the cell cycle,apoptosis and proliferation cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) changes were measured by flow cytometry in BEL7402 cells treated with As2O3.Results As2O3 could inhibit the growth of BEL7402 cells dramatically.There was obvious dosage-effect correlation (γ=0.965 0,P0.01),its half inhibitory concentration (IC50) was 4.93 μmol/L.Apoptosis was observed in BEL7402 cells treated with As2O3.As2O3 could decrease PCNA protein expression and induce cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase (P0.01).Conclusion As2O3 could inhibit the growth and proliferation of BEL7402 cells in vitro dramatically,its mechanisms were probably associated with inducing apoptosis,decreasing PCNA expression and cell cycle arrest.