Objective: Evaluating the effect of apoptosis induced by anticancer drugs on human B lymphocytic leukemia cell lines (Nalm-6) and their cell cycle specificity.
Methods: Nalm-6 cells were treated with various anticancer drugs for 8-24 hours. Apoptotic cells and their cell cycle specificity were measured by using hypodiploid DNA-FCM and TdT assay + DNA staining.
Results: ADR, VP16, CPT, MTX, Ara-C could markedly induce apoptosis of Nalm-6 cells in S phase. CPM, PRD, 6MP were less capable of inducing apoptosis. CPM in high dose resulted in cell necrosis. PRD induced apoptosis in G1 phase, while 6MP induced apoptosis in G1 and S phase. The effect of CPM showed no marked cell cycle specificity.
Conclusion: Hypodiploid DNA-FCM and TdT assay + DNA staining can be used to detect both tumor cell apoptosis and their cell cycle specificity which is helpful to predict prognosis and to design new chemotherapy regimen.