title: [Study on effect of tetramethylpyrazine on proliferation and apoptosis of leukemic U937 cells and its mechanism].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the proliferation and apoptosis of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) on leukemic U937 cells and its possible mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  The inhibitory effect of TMP on the proliferation of U937 cells was detected by CCK-8 assay. The cell apoptosis and cycle distribution were examined by the flow cytometry. The mRNA expressions of bcl-2 and P27 were determined by the Real-time PCR. Western blot was carried out to detect bcl-2, caspase-3, cyclin E1, CDK2 and P27 expressions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TMP inhibited the proliferation of U937 cells in a dose-and-time dependent manner, with IC50 value of 160 mg x L(-1) at 48 h. In addition, TMP could induce the apoptosis of U937 cells and block the cell cycle in G0/G1 phase. According to the results of Real-time PCR and Western blot, TMP could down-regulate the expression of apoptosis-related molecule bcl-2, cycle-related protein cyclin E1 and CDK2 and up-regulate caspase-3 and P27.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TMP shows the effects in inhibiting the proliferation of leukemic U937 cells and inducing the apoptosis. Its mechanism may be related to the impacts on the cell cycle distribution, down-regulation of the bcl-2 expression, which finally activates caspase-3, starts the apoptosis path and causes the cell apoptosis.
authors.forename: Xiao-jing
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Gui-cun
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hong-xia
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: You-hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051357:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2 / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020298:U937 Cells
chemical_list: D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011719:Pyrazines; C495894:CDK2 protein, human; D051357:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2; C017953:tetramethylpyrazine