title: [Effect of total saponin of aralia taibaiensis on proliferation of leukemia cells].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of total saponin of Aralia Taibaiensis on the leukemia cells and explore the mechanisms of early apoptosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The leukemia cells lines K562 and U937 were cultured in vitro and divided into 2 groups: control group and treatment group. The proliferation inhibition of leukemia cells was measured by MTT assay. K562 cells morphological changes were observed under the reverse microscope; Flow cytometry (FCM) was used to detect the influence of total saponin of Aralia Taibaiensis on changes of mitochondrial membrane potential in K562 cells. The expression of protein BCL-2 and BAX in K562 cells was investigated by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total saponin of Aralia Taibaiensis had significant inhibitory effects on K562 and U937 cell lines, and the inhibitory effects on these two cells lines presented time-dependent and dose-dependent manner. The results by inverted microscope were consistent with that of the MTT assay. FCM analysis showed that total saponin of Aralia Taibaiensis could induce mitochondrial membrane potential of K562 cells. Compared with control group, the expression of BCL-2 in treatment group was down-regulated, the expression of BAX was significantly up-regulated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The total saponin of Aralia Taibaiensis can inhibit two kinds of leukemia cells lines in vitro, and the mechanism may be related to promoting the early apoptosis of K562 cells.
authors.affiliation: Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, China. fans95950@sohu.com
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Dong-Yan
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D027983:Aralia / Q000737:chemistry*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015973:Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D020014:K562 Cells; D007938:Leukemia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D012503:Saponins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020298:U937 Cells; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; C494826:BAX protein, human; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012503:Saponins; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein