Expression of interleukin 1β converting enzyme in 5-FU induced apoptosis in esophageal carcinoma cells

ＮＴＲＯＤＵＣＴＩＯＮＡｐｏｐｔｏｓｉｓｉｓａｎｉｍｐｏｒｔａｎｔｐｈｙｓｉｏｌｏｇｉｃａｌｆｏｒｍｏｆｃｅｌｄｅａｔｈ．Ｉｔｉｓｓｔｒｉｃｔｌｙｃｏｎｔｒｏｌｅｄｂｙｇｅｎｅｓ．Ｉｔｈａｓｂｅｅｎｓｈｏｗｎｉｎｅｘｐｅｒｉｍｅｎｔｓｔｈａｔｅｘｔｅ...

AIM To study the role of interleukin 1β converting enzyme (ICE) in antitumor drug induced apoptosis in tumor cells. METHODS Morphological changes in human esophageal carcinoma Eca 109 cells after treated with 5 fluorouracil (5 FU) were observed under light and electron microscope. Expression of ICE in the tumor cells exposed to 5 FU was examined by the immunocytochemical method. RESULTS The cells treated with 5 FU displayed disappearance of nucleoli, chromatin gathering under nuclear envelope, karyorrhexis, budding and the formation of apoptotic bodies. The expression of ICE was negative in control cells, and 5 FU could induce the ICE expression in Eca 109 cells undergoing apoptosis. The number and the staining intensity of positive cells increased with the extension of action time. CONCLUSION 5 FU may induce apoptosis in human esophageal carcinoma Eca 109 cells; ICE gene may be involved in the regulation of 5 FU induced apoptosis; and ICE protein may mediate apoptosis induced by 5 FU.