[Preliminary study on the arsenic trioxide-induced NB4 cell apoptosis and its molecular mechanisms].
OBJECTIVE
To illustrate the possible cellular and molecular mechanisms of arsenic trioxide (As2O3) in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL).


METHODS
APL cell line NB4 was used for in vitro studies. The effect of As2O3 on APL was studied by using flow cytometry, DNA electrophoresis, Narthern blotting and Western blotting.


RESULTS
As2O3 induced NB4 cell apoptosis, while not inhibiting the growth and survival of two other leukemic cell lines (HL-60 and U937). Furthermore, As2O3 effectively down-regulated the expression of bcl-2 gene without changing the mRNA levels of other apoptosis-associated genes (including p53, c-myc, bax and bcl-XL).


CONCLUSIONS
These might be one of the molecular mechanisms of As2O3 induced NB4 cell apoptosis.
Chen
G
G
Shanghai Institute of Hematology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200025.
Zhu
J
J
Shi
X
X
Zhong
H
H
Liu
W
W
Jin
X
X
Tang
W
W
Li
X
X
Ni
J
J
Xiong
S
S
Shen
Z
Z
Ma
J
J
Zhang
P
P
Zhang
T
T
Claude
G
G
Chen
S
S
Chen
L
L
Wang
Z
Z
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D000077237:Arsenic Trioxide; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D010087:Oxides / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001152:Arsenicals; D010087:Oxides; D000077237:Arsenic Trioxide