Abstract

Objectives : In the present study, we investigated whether an aqueous extract of Armeniacae semen induces apoptotic neuronal cell death upon mouse N2a neuroblastoma cells. Methods : 1. Cell viability was determined by using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. 2. For in situ detection of apoptotic cells, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining. 3. The fraction of cells was revealed by flow cytometric analysis used that . 4. For detection of apoptotic DNA cleavage, DNA fragmentation assay was performed. 5. For detection of bax and bcl-2, Western blot analysis was performed. 6. Caspase enzyme activity was measured using caspase-3 assay. Results : From the present results, N2a neuroblastoma cells treated with Armeniacae semen extract exhibited several characteristics of apoptosis. A treatment of Armeniacae semen extract was shown to increase the expression of Bax, a proapoptotic protein, and the treatment decreased the expression of Blc2, an anti-apoptotic protein. In addition, Armeniacae semen extract increased the caspase-3 enzyme activity. Conclusions : The present results show that Armeniacae semen extract induces apoptotic cell death in mouse N2a neuroblastoma cells.