title: Antineoplastic mechanism of Octreotide action in human hepatoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether apoptosis can be induced by Octreotide in human hepatoma cells in vitro and elucidate the antineoplastic mechanism of Octreotide in hepatoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cultured human hepatoma cell line, BEL-7402, was exposed to Octreotide and apoptosis was evaluated by cytochemical staining (Hochesst 33,258), transmission electron microscopy, agarose gel electrophoresis and flow cytometry (FCM).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After exposure to 0.2 microgram/ml Octreotide, apoptosis with nuclear chromatin condensation as well as fragmentation, cell shrinkage and the formation of apoptotic bodies was observed using cytochemical staining and transmission electron microscopy. A DNA ladder in agarose gel electrophoresis was also displayed. FCM showed that the apoptotic cell number rose with an increase in the concentration of Octreotide (0-2 micrograms/ml). There was a positive correlation between Octreotide concentration and apoptotic rate in BEL-7402 cells (r = 0.809, P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Apoptosis in human hepatoma cells can be induced by Octreotide, which may be related to the mechanism of antineoplastic action of Octreotide in hepatoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China. stanchendoctor@China.com
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ai
mesh_terms: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D015282:Octreotide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin / Q000032:analysis; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin; D004247:DNA; D015282:Octreotide