Study on arsenic trioxide induced apoptosis in hepatoma cells andits molecular mechanism

Objective:To study the changes of cell cycle phase and cell cycle phase regulation protein during arsenic trioxide induced apoptosis in hepatoma cells,and to explore mechanisms of arsenic trioxide inhibited HCC.Methods:Cultured in vitre,HCC SMMC-7721 were treated 72h with 2μmol/L arsenic trioxide.The cell cycle and apoptosis index were detected by flow cytometry(FCM);the morphological changes were observed by transmission electron microscope.The immunohistochemistry was used to detect the protein expression of p21、cyclin D_1,cyclinA.Results:SMMC-7721 cell cycle was arrested in G_1 and S phase by arsenic trioxide.Compared with control in the course of apoptosis induced by arsenic trioxide p21 protein expressions rose significantly(control:1.128;arsenic trioxide:3.794),while cyclinD_1,cyclinA protein expressions decreased significantly(control 1:3.647,2.833;arsenic trioxide:1.133,1.179).Conclusion:Arsenic trioxide could disturb cell cycle progression of SMMC-7721 and induce apoptosis.The mechanism may relate to that arsenic trioxide up-regulate expression of p21 and down-regulate expression of cyclinD_1,cyclinA.