[Effect of boanmycin on apoptosis and cell cycle of human esophageal cancer(Eca-109) cells]

Background & objective: The Anticancer mechanism of boanmycin was thought to inhibit the synthesis of protein in human esophageal Cancer cell line. But it is not clear that there are other mechanisms of boanmycin to produce its Anticancer effect on human esophageal Cancer. This study was designed to examine the effect of boanmycin on Apoptosis and cell cycle of human esophageal Cancer cells (Eca-109).

Methods: Microscopic observation, flow cytometry, and Agarose gel electrophoresis were used to determine the induction of Apoptosis and the changes of cell cycle.

Results: The human esophageal Cancer xenografts in nude mice treated by boanmycin showed morphological changes of different apoptotic phases. In vitro, boanmycin (50-125 micrograms/ml, 30-36 hours) elicited typical apoptotic changes in Eca-109 cells and typical DNA ladder of apoptotic cells appeared. The Eca-109 cells treated by boanmycin for 42 hours were blocked at G2/M phase.

Conclusion: Boanmycin could induce Apoptosis of Eca-109 cells and block the cell cycle at G2/M phase.