[Effects and mechanism of lutein on apoptosis of esophageal carcinoma EC9706 cells].
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of lutein on apoptosis and its mechanism.


METHODS
The cells of human esophageal carcinoma EC9706 were grown in RPMI medium containing 10% bovine serum and were treated with lutein at 100 microg x mL(-1) concentration. Flow cytometry was employed to investigate the effects of lutein on cell apoptosis of EC9706 cells. Histochemistry was performed to determine apoptosis-related protein expresion.


RESULTS
Flow cytometry analyses revealed that lutein increased EC9706 cell apoptosis ratio when treated with lutein 100 microg x mL(-1) at 96 h. Lutein decreased the expression of Bcl-2 protein and increased the expression of Bax protein in EC9706 cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Lutein could inhibit mitosis and stimulate apoptosis of EC9706 cells. The apoptotic effect may result from the down-regulation of expression of Bcl-2 and up-regulation expression of Bax.
Pei
Ying-Xin
YX
Huaxi School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Heng
Zheng-Chang
ZC
Duan
Guang-Cai
GC
Zhang
Zun-Zhen
ZZ
Wang
Ming-Chen
MC
Hu
Chan-Li
CL
Gao
Dong-Ling
DL
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D014975:Lutein / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism*
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D014975:Lutein