title: Effects of bufalin on the proliferation of human choriocarcinoma cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bufalin is a traditional Chinese medicine, and it induces apoptosis in some lines of human tumor cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the effect of bufalin in the choriocarcinoma cell line, BeWo. BeWo cells were treated with various concentrations of bufalin, and changes in cell growth, the cell cycle, apoptosis, and related parameters were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay showed that BeWo cells were sensitive to the growth inhibitory effect of bufalin. Cell cycle analysis indicated that exposure to bufalin decreased the proportion of cells in the synthesis phase and increased the proportion in the G0/G1 phases of the cell cycle. Induction of apoptosis was confirmed by annexin V staining of externalized phosphatidylserine and by the loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential. This induction occurred in conjunction with the altered expression of genes related to cell growth, malignant phenotype, and apoptosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that bufalin may serve as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of choriocarcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Oita, Japan. takai@oita-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takai
authors.forename: Tami
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Terukazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kira
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.forename: Kaei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nasu
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Narahara
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002018:Bufanolides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002822:Choriocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002018:Bufanolides; C022777:bufalin