Stimulation of tamoxifen on the proliferation of cultured HeLa cervical carcinoma cell line

AIM: To investigate whether tamoxifen is involved in the proliferation of cultured HeLa cell line, which is derived from cervical carcinoma cell line of human beings. METHODS: The level of cell proliferation was assessed by drawing the proliferation curves of HeLa cells, detecting OD value of MTT assay and using flow cytometry and laser scanning confocal microscope. RESULTS: Tamoxifen (1×10 -7 mol·L -1 ) shifted the curve upward. Tamoxifen (1×10 -8 ～1×10 -6 mol·L -1 ) significantly stimulated the cell proliferation and facilitated (1×10 -6 mol·L -1 ) G 1/S transfer of the cell cycle as well as greatly increased the releasing of Ca 2+ in the cells. CONCLUSION: Tamoxifen may modulate the proliferation and the differentiation of cultured HeLa cervical carcinoma cells by affecting the cell cycle and Ca 2+ in the cells.