[Selective apoptosis in HeLa cells induced by sodium butyrate and its mechanism].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate apoptosis induced by sodium butyrate in cervix cancer cell line HeLa and primary human embryo lung fibroblasts and its mechanism.


METHODS
Cell apoptosis was assessed by morphology, cell viability, DNA fragmentation, the percentage of sub-G1 cells and phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization. The effects of sodium butyrate on transcription of Bax and Bcl-2 was analyzed by RT-PCR.


RESULTS
Sodium butyrate inhibited proliferation in a time and dose-dependant manner. The inhibition of proliferation in HeLa cells was more significant than that in primary human embryo lung fibroblasts. DNA fragmentation, sub-G1 peak and AnnexinV/PI by flow cytometry showed very high apoptosis rates in HeLa cells 72 hours after treated with sodium butyrate, while pretty low in primary human embryo lung fibroblasts. RT-PCR showed sodium butyrate had little effects on transcription of Bax and Bcl-2 in HeLa cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Sodium butyrate can induce apoptosis in HeLa cells without changing the expression of Bax and Bcl-2. Sodium butyrate comparatively has little effects on fibroblasts.
Xi
Ling
L
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
Wu
Ming-fu
MF
Feng
Yong-dong
YD
Wang
Wei
W
Lu
Yun-ping
YP
Zhou
Jian-feng
JF
Ma
Ding
D
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002087:Butyrates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C494826:BAX protein, human; D002087:Butyrates; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein