Effect Of Arsenic Trioxide On Proliferation And Apoptosis In Raji Lymphoblastoid Cell Line And The Expression Of Mcl-1 Gene

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate apoptosis induced by arsenic trioxide (As₂O₃)at different concentrations in Raji lymphoblastoid cells and its possible mechanisms, and its effect on the expression of mcl-1 gene.Methods After Raji cells were treated with As₂O₃ at different concentrations,cell proliferation was tested by MTT assey.Apoptosis was observed with electron microscope and DNA electrophoresis.The distribution of cell cycles and cell apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry.Mitochondia membrane porential(MMP)was detected by confocal laser scanning microscopy.The expression of mcl-1 gene was determined by real-time fluorescene quantitative PCR.Results As₂O₃(1-8uM)inhibited Raji cells growth effectively in a does-and-time-dependent manner.As₂O₃ at 1uM inhibited Raji cells proliferation only by cell cycle arrest,without any symptom of cell apoptosis.As₂O₃ at 2-8uM could induce the cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.At the same time,the expression of mitochondria membrane potential(MMP)and mcl-1 gene was markedly down-regulated after the treatment.Conclusion Substantial proliferation inhibition,cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in Raji cells could be induced by As₂O₃.Cell cycle aarest might be a reason that can cause apoptosis. As₂O₃.can markedly down-regulated the expression of mitochondria membrane potential (MMP)and mcl-1 gene in a dose-and-time-dependent manner.The down-regulated of mitochondria membrane potential(MMP)and mcl-1 gene might be leading to the cell apoptosis by As₂O₃..