Liver Cancer
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2003. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Nov 15, 2003; 9(11): 2441-2444
Published online Nov 15, 2003. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v9.i11.2441
Serum from rabbit orally administered cobra venom inhibits growth of implanted hepatocellular carcinoma cells in mice
Peng Sun, Xian-Da Ren, Hai-Wei Zhang, Xiao-Hong Li, Shao-Hui Cai, Kai-He Ye, Xiao-Kun Li
Peng Sun, Xian-Da Ren, Xiao-Hong Li, Shao-Hui Cai, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy College, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong Province, China
Hai-Wei Zhang, Department of Pathology, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong Province, China
Kai-He Ye, Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacy College, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong Province, China
Xiao-Kun Li, Biopharmaceutical R&D Center of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council Foundation, No. 98-33
Correspondence to: Xiao-Kun Li, Biopharmaceutical R&D Center of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong Province, China. xiaokunli@163.net
Telephone: +86-20-8556-5109
Received: March 19, 2003
Revised: June 1, 2003
Accepted: June 7, 2003
Published online: November 15, 2003
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the inhibitory effect of serum preparation from rabbits orally administered cobra venom (SRCV) on implanted hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells in mice.

METHODS: An HCC cell line, HepA, was injected into mice to prepare implanted tumors. The animals (n = 30) were divided randomly into SRCV, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and distilled water (control) groups. From the second day after transplantation, 20 mg/kg 5-FU was administered intraperitoneally once a day for 9 d. SRCV (1000 mg/kg) or distilled water (0.2 mL) was given by gastrogavage. Tumor growth inhibition was described by the inhibitory rate (IR). Apoptosis was detected by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), flow cytometry (FCM), and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL). Student’s t-test was performed for statistical analysis.

RESULTS: The tumor growth was inhibited markedly by SRCV treatment compared to that in the control group (P < 0.01). The treatment resulted in a significant increase in the apoptotic rate of cancer cells by the factors of 10.5% ± 2.4% and 20.65% ± 3.2% as demonstrated through TUNEL and FCM assays, respectively (P < 0.01). The apoptotic cells were also identified by characteristic ultrastructural features.

CONCLUSION: SRCV can inhibit the growth of implanted HepA cells in mice, and the apoptosis rate appears to elevate during the process.

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