Planta Med 2002; 68(7): 596-600
DOI: 10.1055/s-2002-32896
Original Paper
Pharmacology
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Inhibition of Telomerase Activity and bcl-2 Expression in Berbamine-Induced Apoptosis in HL-60 Cells

Zhao-Ning Ji1 , Wen-Cai Ye2 , Guo-Qing Liu1 , Yu Huang3
  • 1Department of Pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
  • 2Department of Phytochemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
  • 3Department of Physiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China
Further Information

Publication History

Received: October 22, 2001

Accepted: February 3, 2002

Publication Date:
22 July 2002 (online)

Zoom Image

Abstract

The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of telomerase activity in berbamine-induced apoptosis and the regulation of B cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (bcl-2) gene expression in human leukemia HL-60 cells. Apoptosis of HL-60 cells was induced by berbamine (10 μM) for 3, 6, 12 and 24 h. Apoptosis and bcl-2 were determined by flow cytometry analysis. A polymerase chain reaction-based telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay was used to detect the telomerase activity. Berbamine induced growth arrest and apoptotic cell death in HL-60 cells. The telomerase activity was inhibited in a time-dependent manner during the berbamine-induced apoptosis of HL-60 cells, and the expression of bcl-2 was progressively down-regulated by berbamine. Inhibition of the telomerase activity of HL-60 cells was closely related to the berbamine-induced apoptosis. The present results indicate that inhibition of telomerase and reduced bcl-2 gene expression may play a role in the berbamine-induced apoptosis of HL-60 cells.