Effect of arsenic trioxide on human hepatocarcinoma in nude mice

AIM:To study the effect of arsenic trioxide (As2O3) on humanhepatoma cell line 8EL-7402 in vivo.METHODS:Human hepatoma cell line BEL-7402 culturedin vitro was inoculated into nude mice and arsenic trioxide,5-Fu and saline were injected into abdominal cavity of thenude mice respectively.The volumes of tumor and generalconditions of the nude mice and structural changes of theliver and kidney were observed.Morphologic changes werestudied under electron microscope.Expression of AFP wasinvestigated by immunohistochemical method.RESULTS:As2O3could inhibit the growth of tumon The tumorgrowth inhibitory rate in mice treated with 2.5 mg/kg As2O3was 53.42% on the tenth day.The tumor growth inhibitoryrate in mice treated with 5 mg/kg As2O3was 79.280/0 on thefifth day and 96.58% on the tenth day respectively.As2O3didnot damage the liver and kidney of nude mice,or affect theblood system.Typical apoptotic morphological changeswere found under electron microscope,and the change ofmitochondria was obvious.The expression rate of AFPdeclined after treatment.CONCLUSION:Arsenic trioxide can induce apoptosis ofhuman hepatoma cells,and inhibit proliferation of tumorwith no obvious side effects on liver and kidney.