title: [Effect of tanshinone IIA on the growth behavior of human hepatoma cell line BEL-7402 in vitro and its mechanism].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of tanshinone IIA on the growth behavior of human hepatoma cell line BEL-7402 in vitro and explore the mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human hepatoma cell line BEL-7402 was exposed to tanshinoneIIA at different concentrations for 72 h, and the suppression of the cell growth was observed under inverted-phase contrast microscope. Apoptosis-related alterations in the cell morphology and biochemistry were examined under fluorescence microscope and transmission electron microscope (TEM) and by DNA agarose gel electrophoresis, and the apoptotic rate was quantified by flow cytometry (FCM).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After treatment with 0-10 microg/ml tanshinone IIA for 72 h, the proliferation of BEL-7402 cells was significantly suppressed, and cell apoptosis occurred characterized by cell shrinkage, nuclear chromatin condensation and fragmentation, formation of membrane blebs and apoptotic bodies as observed under fluorescence microscope and TEM. DNA ladder was presented in DNA electrophoresis. FCM analysis yielded the cell apoptotic rates of (20.78+/-2.17) %, (24.64+/-2.07) %, (31.47+/-3.86) %, (43.65+/-4.04) % and (52.36+/-3.75) % at tanshinone IIA concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0 and 10.0 microg/ml respectively, all significantly higher than those of the control group [(2.37+/-0.29)%].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tanshinone IIA can inhibit the growth of human hepatoma BEL-7402 cells possibly through the mechanism of apoptosis induction.
authors.affiliation: Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Command, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Zhong-zhi
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Li-bo
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Fu
mesh_terms: D045784:Abietanes; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D045784:Abietanes; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010616:Phenanthrenes; C021751:tanshinone