OBJECTIVETo investigate the apoptosis of bladder cancer cell 5637 induced by pseudolaric acid B in vitro and its mechanism.

METHODThe cell proliferation was detected by MTT assay;the cell cycle was measured by flow cytometry; the cell apoptosis was observed by flow cytometry with Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining; the expressions of survivin protein and caspase-3 protein were detected by Western blot assay.

RESULTIt showed that pseudolaric acid B remarkably induced apoptosis of 5637 cell line. Moreover, pseudolaric acid B suppressed survivin and up-regulated caspase-3 expression.

CONCLUSIONPseudolaric acid B inhibits the proliferation and induces the apoptosis of 5637 cells. The molecular mechanism of pseudolaric acid B inducing the apoptosis of 5637 cells may be associated with its action of down-regulating the expression of survivin, and up-regulating the expression of caspase-3.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; analysis ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Diterpenes ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; analysis ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology