title: [Effects of NK-104 on apoptosis and caspase-3 activity in hepatocellular carcinoma cells].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG 2 induced by pitavastatin (NK-104) and to investigate the change of caspase-3 activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  HepG 2 cells were treated with NK-104 for 48 hours and observed under a microscope by using Hoechst 33258 staining. The proliferation of the cells was detected with WST-8 method. The apoptosis peaks were examined by flow cytometry. The caspase-3 activity was detected with caspase-3 colorimetric protease assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The treatment of HepG 2 with 10 micromol/L NK-104 could inhibit the proliferation, and induce HepG 2 apoptosis and up-regulate the caspase-3 activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NK-104 at 10 micromol/L induces apoptosis of HepG 2 cells. It is dependent on caspase-3 pathway in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Oncology of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China. wangjuyong1@126.com
authors.forename: Ju-yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhen-ye
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D011804:Quinolines / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011804:Quinolines; D053148:Caspase 3; C108475:pitavastatin