Hydrogen peroxide inhibits arsenic trioxide-induced apoptosis of Burkitt lymphoma cells

Abstract

Abstract: Objective To examine the effects of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) on arsenic trioxide (As₂O₃)-induced apoptosis of human Burkitt lymphoma cells and evaluate the value of fluorescence microscope in analyzing cellular apoptosis. Methods As₂O₃ was used to induce apoptosis in human Burkitt lymphoma cells BJAB, and the cellular changes were analyzed quanti- tatively using transmission electron microscope and fluorescence microscope after staining with Hoechst 33342/propidium iodide (PI). Results Under fluorescence microscope and electron microscope, BJAB cells displayed chromatin aggregation, nuclear margination and fragmentation in response to As₂O₃ treatment. In the presence of relatively low levels of H₂O₂ (200 μmol/L), the cell death resulting from apoptosis was inhibited with pyknosis and necrosis becoming the major pathway, while As₂O₃ failed to induce cell apoptosis. The cells showed none of the typical markers of apoptosis nor any characteristic necrotic changes, and the nuclei exhibited condensation instead of swelling. In addition, the rate of cell death induced by As₂O₃ was decreased in the presence of H₂O₂. Conclusions Low levels of H₂O₂ (200 μmol/L) inhibits As₂O₃-induced (at clinically achievable concentrations) apoptosis of the human malignant lymphoma cells. Fluorescence microscopy makes possible quantitative analysis of apoptosis, capable of distinguishing not only cell apoptosis from necrosis, but also membrane-intact from membrane-permeable apoptotic cells.

CLC Number:

Q255
R73-36

LU Di¹, BAI Xiao-chun¹, LIU Bin², LI Xiu-mei¹, DENG Fan¹, LI Ming¹, CHENG Bao-luan¹, LUO Shen-qiu¹. Hydrogen peroxide inhibits arsenic trioxide-induced apoptosis of Burkitt lymphoma cells[J]. Journal of Southern Medical University, 2004, 24(04): 375-378.

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