Effect of arsenic trioxide on human hepatoma cell line BEL-7402 cultured in vitro

Figure 1 The effect of As₂O₃ on cell growth of BEL-7402.

Figure 2 Transmission electronmicroscopic observation of ultrastructural changes in human hepatoma cells treated with 0, 0. 5, 1, 2 μmol/L As₂O₃ for 96 h. The nucleocytoplasmic ratio enlanged with indentation of nuclei in BEL-7402 cells of 0 μmol/L As₂O₃ group (A). The nucleocytoplasmic ratio become smaller, nuclei appear round, but with well-differentiated organelles in the cytoplasm in 0.5 μmol/L As₂O₃ group (B). The intact cell membrane, nuclear condensation and apoptoti c body formation in 1, 2 μmol/L As₂O₃ group (C, D).

Figure 3 Scanning electronmicroscopic observation of changes in human hepatoma cell membranes treated with 0, 0. 5, 1, 2 μmol/L As₂O₃ for 96 h. There were abundant processes and micro villi on the surface of BEL-7402 cells in 0 μmol/L As₂O₃ group (A). The processes and micro villi was much less in 0.5 μmol/L As₂O₃ group (B). The processes and micro villi were lost when treated with 1, 2 μmol/L As₂O₃ (C, D).

Figure 4 Bcl-2 expressions in human hepatoma cells. 0 μmol/L As₂O₃ group (A). 0.5 μmol/L As₂O₃ group (B).