[Study of koumine-induced apoptosis of human colon adenocarcinoma LoVo cells in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To study the apoptosis-inducing effect of koumine on human colon adenocarcinoma LoVo cells in vitro. METHODS: After koumine (50 mmol/L) treatment in vitro, the LoVo cells were examined under light microscope, transmission electron microscope and fluoroscope respectively for apoptosis, and the cell cycle distribution was analyzed using flow cytometry. RESULTS: The percentage of apoptotic cells increased in a time-dependent manner after the cells were treated with koumine, whose action exhibited remarkable cell cycle specificity. The percentage of LoVo cells in G(0)/G(1) phase rose from 31.3% to 42.3% and the percentage of cells in S phase fells from 62.0% to 38.7%. CONCLUSION: Koumine can induce apoptosis of LoVo cells in a time-dependent manner and inhibit the DNA synthesis in LoVo cells, thereby blocking the cell cycle from G1 to S phase.