Abstract:
Objective:To investigate the antitumor effects of arsenic trioxide (As2O3) on solid tumor in vivo, the transplanted hepatic carcinoma of mice were treated with various dosages of As2O3. Methods: After 50 mice were injected intraperitoneally with 0,2, 4, 6, 8 μmol/g As2O3 respectively for observation of acute toxicity, 1, 2, 3 μmol/g were selected for this experiment. Eighty mice were transplanted with hepatic carcinoma cells (1.5×106 cells/each side) into both subaxillae. As2O3 in 0, 1, 2 and 3 μmol/g were injected into right subaxilla respectively once every day for 10 days. At the 30th day after transplanted hepatic carcinoma cell, mice were killed and the size of solid tumors was measured. The chronic cytotoxicity of As2O3 was observed in these mice.Results:In right subaxillae tumors, which were injected directly with As2O, were apparent smaller than that in the left (P<0.05). Comparing different dosage, the right solid tumors in 2 and 3 μmol/g groups were smaller than that in control group (P<0.001). In the left the tumor masses of 1 and 2 μmol/g groups were larger than that in control group (P<0.05) and 3 μmol/g group vice versa (P<0.05). The mechanism of action of As2O3 was inducement of cellular apoptosis. The damages of liver, kidney, spleen and decrease of WBC were found by chronic toxicity of As2O3.Conclusion: Our results suggested that As2O3 in a convenient dosage and in direct contact with tumor cells might be a useful, novel therapy for epithelial solid tumor and the permissible dosage and the route of administration were emphasized in the anticancer therapy.