title: [Apoptosis-inducing effect of Tanshinone and its molecular mechanism on human lung cancer cells].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To study the apoptosis-inducing effect of Tanshinone and its molecular mechanism on human lung cancer cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human lung cancer cell line (SPC-A-1) was treated in vitro with 0.5 mg/L Tanshinone IIA for five days, and the cells treated with all trans retinoic acid (RA) or DDP as controls. Changes in cell morphology, apoptotic index and apoptosis related gene expression were detected by electron microscope, FCM and DNA-end-labeling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Many apoptotic cells were observed by light and electron microscopes. FCM examination showed that apoptotic index in Tanshinone group was much higher than that of DDP and control groups, but no difference was found statistically compared with RA group. The expression of p53, Fas and Bax genes in Tanshinone group was up-regulated markedly, but Bcl-2 was obviously down-regulated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tanshinone IIA can induce apoptosis in human lung cancer cell line (SPC-A-1) . Up-regulating expression of p53, Bax, Fas and down-regulating Bcl-2 expression might be its molecular mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cancer Research, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R.China.
authors.forename: Jintao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Qinghua
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Shulan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Yanping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaohe
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jianjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qin