Objective: To investigate the effect of tanshinone IIA on HL-60 and K562 cells apoptosis, and to assay the inhibition of the telomerase activities in the leukemia cell apoptosis induced by Tanshinone.
Method: Using the techniques of cell culture in vitro, flow cytometry and PCR-TRAP observed the telomerase activities and apoptosis of HL-60 and K562 cells which treated by Tan IIA.
Result: 0.5 microg x mL(-1) Tan IIA could obviously inhibit HL-60 and K562 cell lines growth (P < 0.05), down-regulate c-myc, bcl-2 gene and up-regulate c-fos and p53 gene expression as well as induce leukemia cell apoptosis, the apoptotic rates of HL-60 and K562 cells were 11.8% and 21.8% respectively. The telomerase activities significant decreased, the inhibiting rates in HL60 and K562 cells were 30.8% and 50.8% respectively.
Conclusion: Tan IIA could significantly inhibit the proliferation and telomerase activities of HL-60 and K562 cells and induce the leukemia cell apoptosis.