title: Apoptosis and necrosis induced by sulfur mustard in Hela cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the apoptotic effect of sulfur mustard (SM) on Hela cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Exponentially growing Hela cells were treated with SM at various concentrations for 3 h, then apoptosis was examined by electron-microscope, DNA gel electrophoresis, and flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SM 1 mumol.L-1 arrested cell growth. After treatment with SM 10-100 mumol.L-1, cells were mainly blocked at G1-phase with apoptosis. Agarose gel electrophoresis of DNA from cells treated with SM revealed "DNA Ladder." About 33% of the Hela cells showed apoptosis 12 h after 3-h treatment with SM 100 mumol.L-1 as determined by flow cytometry and the S-phase cells were more susceptible. However, SM 1000 mumol.L-1 caused marked necrosis in Hela cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SM caused 2 distinct forms of cell death, apoptosis or necrosis, in Hela cells in a concentration-dependent manner.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical Pharmacology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Y X
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002453:Cell Cycle; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D009151:Mustard Gas / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009336:Necrosis
chemical_list: D009151:Mustard Gas