Abstract: BACKGROUND AND AIM: To explore the molecular mechanisms of resveratrol in inducing apoptosis in human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After treatment with resveratrol at different concentrations for different times, the morphological changes of HL-60 cells were examined by phase contrast microscopy. The proliferation of HL-60 cells and the IC50 were analyzed by methyl thiazolyltetrazolium (MTT)assay.Caspase-3 acticity and expression levels of GADD45α,Annexin A1,Cleaved-caspase 3,Bcl-2 and Bax proteins in HL-60 cell were measured by Caspase-3 activity assay kit and Western blot. RESULTS: After treatment with resveratrol, the HL-60 cells became smaller,less refractive with the appearance of granular materials. The changes were associated with the increase of resveratrol concentration. After treatment with 12.5-200 μmol/L Res, HL-60 cell proliferation was markedly inhibited in a dose and time -dependent manner(P<0.05) , and the IC50 was 76.54 μmol/L. After treatment with Res for 0，12，24，48 h，the Caspase-3 activity in HL-60 cells peaked at 12 h,and then decreased. The expressions of Annexin A1,GADD45α,Bax,Cleaved-Caspase 3 were up-regulated and Bcl-2 was down-regulated in HL-60 cells by resveratrol. CONCLUSION: Resveratrol could inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis of HL-60 cells, the effect might be associated with Caspase-3 activity. Expressions of GADD45α and Annexin A1 participated in the apoptotic process modulated by resveratrol.

Key words: resveratrol, HL-60, apoptosis, GADD45α, Annexin A1