[Preliminary study on apoptosis of human leukemic cells induced by bufalin].
OBJECTIVE
To study the mechanism of inhibiting actions of bufalin on human leukemic cells (HL60).


METHODS
HL60 cells were incubated with bufalin at different concentrations and growth inhibition was analyzed by trypan-blue staining. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by phase contrast microscopy, transmission eletron microscopy and agarose gel electrophoresis.


RESULTS
Bufalin remarkably inhibited the growth of HL60 cells. Apoptosis of HL60 cells could be effectively induced by bufalin at concentration of 0.01 mumol.L-1 or higher, showing the apoptotic changes in morphology, including cell shrinkage, chromatin agglutination and formation of apoptotic corpuscula; DNA cleavage was observed with agarose gel electrophoresis.


CONCLUSIONS
Bufalin can effectively induce apoptosis of HL60 cells, which is possibly one of the mechanisms for anti-cancer of bufalin.
Xu
R C
RC
Medical College of the Chinese People's Armed Police Forces, Tianjin 300162, Tianjin, China.
Chen
X Y
XY
Chen
L
L
Qian
J
J
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002018:Bufanolides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018922:HL-60 Cells / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D008419:Materia Medica / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002018:Bufanolides; D008419:Materia Medica; C022777:bufalin