The specific inhibition of HepG2 cells proliferation by apoptosis induced by gabexate mesilate.

Many anticancer drugs are developing until now. However, conventional anticancer drugs causes damage to not only cancer cells but also non-cancerous tissues and cells. Therefore, the development of new drugs are anticipated.HepG2 cell proliferation in cell culture was significantly inhibited by gabexate mesilate. In TUNEL method, a significant amount of HepG2 cells cultured with gabexate mesilate showed a decrease in the number of total cells and an increased in the number of positive cells. Further immunohistochemical staining for P-53,ss-DNA and caspase 3 showed samely a decrease in the number of total cells and an increase in the number of positive cells. The staining for bcl2 showed a decrease in the number of total cells and no remarkable change in the number of positive cells. The cell growth inhibition by gabexate mesilate was almost blocked by caspase 3 inhibitor. Therefore, the inhibition itself of HepG2 cell proliferation by gabexate mesilate was mainly due to the apoptosis. This agent causes mainly damage to HepG2 cell by apoptosis but does not cause side effects, differing from the above anticancer drugs, Gabexate mesilate is a useful drug.