Ascorbic Acid Promotes Arsenic-induced Cytotoxicity in Human Hepatocarcinoma Cells and Their Underlying Mechanisms
WU Hui-wen
WU Xiang-yang
CHEN Xi-wei
Abstract：Objective: To study synergistic effect with Ascorbic acid (AA) on arsenic trioxide inducing human Hepatocarcinoma cell apoptosis, and provide theoretical basis for promoting human Hepatocarcinoma cell apoptosis induced by arsenic trioxide(AT). Methods: Human Hepatocarcinoma cell line BEL-7402 being cultured in vitro, the effect of AT and (or) AA on its growth inhibition and its two intracellular signal molecules was evaluated separately using MTT and Western blot. Results: AT at a few μmol/L concentration could suppress abnormal proliferation of human hepatocarcinoma cells, and initiate their apoptosis by activation of caspase-3, and activate extracellular-signal regulated kinases (ERKs), which were dependent on the dosage of AT conspicuously. The effect of AA on BEL-7402 was not significant; However, AA could effectively enhance AT-induced hepatocarcinoma cell apoptosis and lesion severity through activation of caspase-3 but not ERKs. Conclusion: Caspase-3 and ERKs proteins could involve in arsenic-induced hepatocarcinoma cell apoptosis and differentiation respectively as intracellular signaling molecules; The effect between AT and AA on hepatocarcinoma is synergistic, which further inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis in human hepatocarcinoma cells through activation of caspase-3 but not ERKs.
Keywords：hepatocarcinomaarsenic trioxideAscorbic acidapoptosiscaspase-3extracellular-signal regulated kinases
Publication Date：2004-10-31
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：4( 297-300 )