Growth arrest and apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells induced by hexamethylene bisacetamide

Figure 1 Detection of cell morphology by phase-contrast microscopy ( × 200). A: SMMC-7721 cells, B: SMMC-7721 cells treated with 10 mmol/L of HMBA for 72 h.

Figure 2 Detection of apoptotic morphology in SMMC-7721 cells treated with 10 mmol/L of HMBA for 72 h ( × 400). SMMC-7721 cells displayed fragmented nuclei and apoptotic bodies (B, C) after treatment with 10 mmol/L of HMBA for 72 h, while the untreated cells did not show these apoptotic characteristics (A).

Figure 3 Immunocytochemical analysis of Bcl-2 and Bax expression in SMMC-7721 cells treated with 10 mmol/L of HMBA for 72 h (×200). A: The high level of Bcl-2 protein in SMMC-7721 cells, B: The decreased level of Bcl-2 protein in the cells treated with 10 mmol/L of HMBA, C: The low level of Bax protein in SMMC-7721 cells, D: The slightly increased level of Bax protein in the cells treated with 10 mmol/L of HMBA.