Experimental study on effect of arsenic trioxide on vascular smooth muscle cells

Abstract

Objective To investigate the effect of arsenic trioxide(As_2 O_3)nanoparticles on rabbit vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro in comparison with normal form As_2 03.Methods The rabbit vascular smooth muscle cells were cultured in vitro.Nano and normal forms of As_2O_3 with drug concentrations of 3μmol/L were added into the cells.Cell proliferation curve was drawn according to the light absorption values of MTT test.Flow cytometry was applied to observe the apoptosis.DNA was extracted and underwent electrophoresis.Results Cell proliferation treated with the 3μmol/L concentration of As_2O_3 was inhibited. Cell growth was inhibited markedly with increased treatment time,and the inhibition effect of nano drug form seemed stronger than that of normal form.MTT light absorption values of cells treated at 24,48 and 72 h showed statistically significant difference(H=10.934,15.039,15.539,P0.01).With flow cytometry test,the cell proliferation rates of 3μmol/L nano drug form of As_O_3,normal drug form of As_O_3 and control group of cells without As_2O_3 were 44.97%,58.54%,74.02% respectively.The early apoptosis rates were 16.89%,11.27%,11.20%,late apoptosis rates were 26.56%,23.60%,12.46%,and necrosis rates were 11.58%,6.59%,2.32% respectively.Agarose gel electrophoresis showedladder strand of DNA,with more strands and obscurity for nano drug form treated cells.Conclusion Arsenic trioxide may inhibit the growth of rabbit vascular smooth muscle cells.The nano drug form showed stronger inhibition effect than that of the normal drug form.