Abstract: BACKGROUND ＆ AIM: To study the effect of 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2[5H]-furanone (MX) on proliferation and apoptosis of human-derived fetal hepatocytes(L-02) cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS: L-02 cells were treated with MX (10，30，100，300 μmol/L)for 3 hours and further incubated for 0, 3, 6 and 9 hours. Proliferation and apoptosis of L-02 cells were analyzed by using flow cytometric analysis and microscopic analysis after staining with ethidium bromide and acridine orange. RESULTS: The distribution of cells at different phases of the cell cycle was associated with the dose of MX and the incubation time. When L-02 cells were treated with MX for 3 hours and not further incubated, S phase and G2 phase cells increased significantly at MX concentration of 30 μmol/L and 10,100, 300 μmol/L,respectively. At incubation time of 9 hours , G2 phase and S phase cells increased significantly at MX concentration of 10 μmol/L and 30,100, 300 μmol/L,respectively. The percentage of apoptotic L-02 cells increased at first and decreased subsequently with further incubation time. Peak value of apoptotic percentage appeared at the incubation time of 6 hours and showed statistical significance in comparison with solvent control (P<0.01). The highest apoptotic percentage was observed at the MX concentration of 30 μmol/L. CONCLUSION: MX induced apoptosis and arrested cycling of L-02 cells at G2 phase and S phase. The type of cell cycle being arrested was associated with the dose of MX and the incubation time.

Key words: 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2[5H]-furanone, human-derived fetal hepatocytes, apoptosis, cell cycle