Abstract: 【ABSTRACT】 BACKGROUND ＆ AIM: To explore the effects of resveratrol in suppressing growth and inducing apoptosis in human esophageal carcinoma EC109 cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: EC109 cells were treated with resveratrol at different concentrations,methyl thiazolyltetrazolium (MTT)assay was used to examine the effect of resveratrol on growth of EC109 cells. Hoechst 33258 staining and phase contrast microscope were used to examine the apoptosis status of EC109 cells. The cell cycle arrest and cell apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Resveratrol(15.62－500 μmol/L)could inhibit the growth of EC109 cells in time_and dose_dependent manner. 500 μmol/L resveratrol had 87.43％ inhibitory rate on the growth of EC109 cells at 72 h, 48 h after treatment with resveratrol, typical apoptosis was seen under phase contrast microscope and fluorescence microscope in 500 μmol/L treatment groups. Resveratrol could arrest EC109 cells growth in S phase, inhibit DNA synthesis and induce cell apoptosis and the apoptotic ratio was 62.3％. CONCLUSION: Resveratrol could inhibit proliferation, cause S phase arrest and induce apoptosis of EC109 cells.

Key words: resveratrol, esophageal carcinoma cells, growth inhibition, apoptosis