Objective: To understand whether CPT-induced apoptosis is related to the alteration of mitochondrial transmembrane potentials (delta psi m).
Method: A low differentiation human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell line of CNE-2Z cells were used as in vitro model. After treatment with 2 mumol/L CPT for 24 h, the delta psi m was detected by the staining of rhodamine 123 (Rh123), while apoptosis was confirmed by sub-G1 cell content and the double staining of hoechst33258 and propidium iodide (PI).
Result: CPT induced delta psi m collapse and apoptosis. With 2 mumol/L CPT treatment for 24 h, delta psi mlow cell was increased to (19.0 +/- 3.0)%, while in the DMSO control, delta psi mlow was (7.0 +/- 1.4)% P < 0.05.
Conclusion: The disruption of the delta psi m may be one of the mechanisms of CPT-induced apoptosis in CNE-2Z cells.