Aim: To study the effect of bcr-abl fusion gene antisense phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide (Aspo) on bcr-abl mRNA and apoptosis of K562 cells.
Methods: Cells were exposed to Aspo. P210 was measured by Flow Cytometry. Cellular bcr-abl mRNA was detected by RT-PCR mediquantitative analysis. Cell apoptosis was measured by Flow Cytometry and observed by electron microscope (EM).
Results: The P210 was down regulated or completely suppressed after 24h treatment with more than 5 micromol/L Aspo. The decrease of bcr-abl mRNA was about 45%. After incubation 48 h with 10 micromol/L Aspo. Also, 20% - 30% K562 cells were induced to apoptosis at 120 h when the cell number was 1 x 10(4)/ml at the beginning. While the cell number was 1 x 10(5)/ml, the apoptosis rate was 30% after 48 h culture and the typical morphology of apoptosis cell was observed under EM.
Conclusion: bcr-abl Aspo could inhibit the expression of bcr-abl mRNA and P210. Also,it could induce apoptosis of K562 cells.