Arsenic Trioxide In Inducing Human Glioma Cell Line U251 Apoptosis With Downregulation Of C-myc Gene Expression

Objective: To study effect of downregulation of c-myc gene expression with As₂O₃ on inducing Human Glioma cell Line U251 apoptosis. Methods: We studied on the two groups: the normal controls and the treatmentgroups with Arsenic Trioxide in human glioma U251 ,then examined the inhibition test by MTT methods and work out the IC₅₀, watched the morphological alteration by inverted microscope ,evaluated the apoptosis by flow cytometric analysis and AO/EB double staining by light inverted microscope, examined the expression of c-myc protein by Western blotting and c-myc gene by RT-PCR.Results: Our studies showed that As₂O₃ had a markledly antineoplastic activity onglioma U251 cell line with the dependence of dose and time ,IC50 was 0.3mg/ml. After administration of As₂O₃ the cellular morphology become small under inverted microscope .The flow cytometric analysis showed that As₂O₃ inhibited the cycle transference at G₁ phase and AO/EB double staining under inverted light microscope showed that As₂O₃ induced the apoptosis. Our studies showed that As₂O₃ inhibited the expression of c-myc protein by Western blotting and c-myc gene by RT-PCR .Conclusions:As₂O₃ can induce grioma cells aoptosis with downregulation of c-myc gene expression.