[Effect of nimodipine on mechanisms of HL-60 cell apoptosis induced by cytarabine].

The aim was to study the mechanisms of HL-60 cell apoptosis induced by nimodipine (NMDP ) and cytarabine (Ara-C). The DNA fragment was detected by agarose gel electrophoresis. The expressions of bcl-2 and bax gene proteins related with apoptosis were investigated by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that HL-60 cell apoptosis rate had been increasing in the experimental groups compared with the control group since culturing 8 hours. The expression of Bcl-2 protein was lower and the expression of Bax protein was higher in the experimental groups than that in the control group, while ratio of bcl-2/bax was lower in the experimental groups than that in the control group. It is concluded that NMDP and Ara-C induce apoptosis of HL-60 cells, and the mechanism of apoptosis induced by them may down-regulate the expression of bcl-2 gene and up-regulate the expression of bax gene. The mechanism of HL-60 cell apoptosis induced by Ara-C and NMDP is probably associated with the down-regulation of Bcl-2 protein expression.