目的观察苦参碱诱导肺腺癌A549细胞凋亡及对人端粒酶逆转录酶(hTERT)基因表达的影响。方法以终质量浓度为0.1、0.2、0.4、0.6 mg/mL的苦参碱作用肺腺癌A549细胞48 h后,通过台盼蓝拒染法计数细胞的生长抑制率;以终质量浓度为0.2 mg/mL的苦参碱作用A549细胞48、72、96 h后,经透射电镜和DNA Ladder实验了解到细胞凋亡的发生,PCR-TRAP法检测端粒酶活性,实时RT-PCR检测hTERT的mRNA表达水平。结果各种质量浓度的苦参碱作用A549细胞48 h后,均显著抑制细胞的增殖且呈浓度依赖性;0.2 mg/mL的苦参碱作用A549细胞不同时间后,经透射电镜形态学检测和DNA Ladder实验,均显示A549细胞发生了凋亡改变;0.2 mg/mL的苦参碱作用A549细胞48 h后,端粒酶活性明显受抑,hTERT mRNA表达显著降低。结论苦参碱能抑制肺腺癌A549细胞的生长并诱导其凋亡,其机制可能与下调hTERT基因表达,抑制端粒酶活性,破坏端粒稳定性有关。

Objective To investigate the effects of matrine on the induction of apoptosis in lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549 and the expression of the human telomerase reverse transscriptase(hTERT)gene.Methods After the A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells were treated with matrine at 0.1,O.2,O.4,and 0.6 mg/mL final concentration,respectively,the number of viable cells was ascertained by trypan blue dye exclusion test.After A549 cells were treated with matrine of 0.2 mg/mL final concentration for 48,72,and 96 h,respectively,morphological changes of apoptotic cells were observed by electronic microscopy and DNA ladder assay.the telomerase activity was analyzed by PCR-TRAP assay and hTERT mRNA expression was detected by real-time RT-PCR.Results The various concentration of matrine had a significant inhibition on the proliferation of A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner.The results from electron microscopy and DNA Ladder showed that apoptosis occurred in the A549 cells by treated with 0.2 mg/mL matrine at the different times.Atier A549 cells were treated with 0.2 mg/mL matrine for 48 h,the results of quantitative RT-PCR and PCR-TRAP revealed that the expression of hTERT mRNA was significantly inhibited by matrine and telomerase activity decreased.Conclusion Matrine could inhibit the growth and induce apoptosis of A549 cells,its mechanism may be related to the down-regulating expression of hTERT,suppression of telomerase,and destruction telomere.

国家自然科学基金资助项目(30300449);国家中医药管理局资助项目(02-03ZP52)