Liver Cancer
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2004. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Apr 1, 2004; 10(7): 954-958
Published online Apr 1, 2004. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v10.i7.954
Growth arrest and apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells induced by hexamethylene bisacetamide
Gao-Liang Ouyang, Qiu-Feng Cai, Min Liu, Rui-Chuan Chen, Zhi Huang, Rui-Sheng Jiang, Fu Chen, Shui-Gen Hong, Shi-Deng Bao
Gao-Liang Ouyang, Qiu-Feng Cai, Min Liu, Zhi Huang, Rui-Sheng Jiang, Shui-Gen Hong, Shi-Deng Bao, Key Laboratory of China Education Ministry for Cell Biology and Tumor Cell Engineering, Laboratory of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, Fujian Province, China
Rui-Chuan Chen, Fu Chen, Cancer Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, Fujian Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30170463 and Science Research Foundation of Xiamen University and Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province, No. C0210005
Correspondence to: Professor Shi-Deng Bao, Key Laboratory of China Education Ministry for Cell Biology and Tumor Cell Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, Fujian Province, China. sdbao26@yahoo.com
Telephone: +86-592-2186091 Fax: +86-592-2188101
Received: August 23, 2003
Revised: September 14, 2003
Accepted: October 7, 2003
Published online: April 1, 2004
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the cellular effects of hybrid polar compound hexamethylene bisacetamide (HMBA) on the growth and apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells and to provide the molecular mechanism for potential application of HMBA in the treatment of liver cancer.

METHODS: Effects of HMBA on the growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells were assayed by MTT chronometry. Apoptosis induced by HMBA was detected by phase-contrast microscopy, flow cytometry, propidium iodide staining and immunocytochemical analysis.

RESULTS: The growth of SMMC-7721 cells was significantly inhibited by HMBA, and the growth inhibitory rate was 51.1%, 62.6%, 68.7% and 73.9% respectively after treatment with 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 and 12.5 mmol/L of HMBA. In the cells treated with 10 mmol/L of HMBA for 72 h, the population of cells at sub-G1 phase significantly increased, and the apoptotic bodies and condensed nuclei were detected. Moreover, treatment of SMMC-7721 cells with 10 mmol/L of HMBA down-regulated the expression of Bcl-2 anti-apoptotic protein, while slightly up-regulated the level of pro-apoptotic protein Bax.

CONCLUSION: Treatment with 10.0 mmol/L of HMBA can significantly inhibit the growth and induce apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells by decreasing the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax.

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