Different inhibition of hepatocarcinoma cell growth by As2O3 in SMMC-7721 and BEL-7402 cell lines

AIM: To explore the different inhibitory effect of arsenic trioxide (As₂O₃) on hepatocarcinoma cell growth in SMMC-7721 and BEL-7402 cell lines and its mechanism. METHODS: The cell culture and trypan blue staining were used to study the inhibitory effect of arsenic trioxide on cell growth, and the glutathione (GSH) contents in hepatocarcinoma cells treated with arsenic trioxide were detected. RESULTS: Arsenic trioxide inhibited the growth of BEL-7402 cells in a time and dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect was significant at a lower dose of 0.50 μmol/L for 24 h, however, to SMMC-7721 cells, a higher dose of 2.00 μmol/L for 96 h was needed. The inhibitory rate of arsenic trioxide (0.25-2.00 μmol/L) on BEL-7402 cell growth was higher than that on SMMC-7721 cells. The content of GSH in SMMC-7721 cells was much higher than that in BEL-7402 cells . CONCLUSION: There was a significant difference in inhibition of hepatocarcinoma cell growth by arsenic trioxide between BEL-7402 and SMMC-7721 cell lines, the cause of which may be due to the difference in GSH content in BEL-7402 and SMMC-7721 cells.