Background & objective: Chondriosome-mediated apoptosis is closely related to cell cycle, however, the correlation of receptor-mediated apoptosis to cell cycle progression is unclear yet. This study was to observe the receptor-mediated apoptosis and cell cycle specificity in cultured normal and tumor lymphocytes, and investigate their correlation.
Methods: Exponentially growing human leukemia cell lines Molt-4 and Jurkat were treated with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) or Anti-Fas. Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) from healthy donors were stimulated by phytohemagglutinin (PHA), and further incubated with the presence of TNF-alpha or anti-Fas. Annexin V/PI was used to detect the apoptosis, and API method was used to illustrate the cell cycle specificity of apoptotic cells.
Results: Unstimulated PBLs kept blunt to stimulation with TNF-alpha or anti-Fas, and the apoptotic rate was 6%-8%. Molt-4 cells, Jurkat cells, and stimulated PBLs which were treated with TNF-alpha or anti-Fas went to apoptosis, and the apoptosis rates were 15%-28%. Most receptor-mediated apoptosis happened in early G1 phase.
Conclusion: Receptor-mediated apoptosis is closely related to cell cycle and presents cell cycle specificity.