Effects of ascorbic acid on human hepatoma cell proliferation and redifferentiation

AIM: To examine the effects of ascorbic acid (AA) on hepatoma. METHODS: Choosing an all-trans tretinoin (Tre) as a positive control, cell growth, and cell redifferentiation tests by cell surface charges, biochemical changes, and cell growth in soft agar were measured. RESULTS: After being treated with AA 6 mmol . L-1, the growth curve and mitotic index of human hepatoma cells decreased remarkably, the cellular growth inhibitory rate amounted to 58.9 %. The indices related with cell malignancy alleviated, such as cell surface charge obviously decreased, the electrophoresis rate dropped from 1.64 mu m . s(-1) . V-.(-1). cm(-1) to 0.93, the average value of alpha-fetoprotein (alpha-FP) content decreased from 302 mu g . g(-1)(protein) to 90, and gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase (gamma-GT) activity from 0.81 U . g(-1)(protein) to 0.16. The index related with cell differentiation increased, such as the average level of tyrosine-cr-ketoglutarate transaminase activity increased from 10.3 mu mol . g(-1)(protein) to 41.2, and the colonogenic potential decreased 94.4 %. CONCLUSION: AA can inhibit human hepatoma cells proliferation, induce redifferentiation, and reverse its malignant phenotypic characteristics.