Apoptosis biochemical assessment

Fig. 6. Apoptotic DNA ladder pattern of eosinophils treated with dexamethasone (Dexa, 2 (xM) for 18 h (Zl). DNA was extracted from cells with ethanol (P4) and electrophoresed on 1% agarose gel in 1 X TAE (Tris acetate-EDTA) buffer (pH 8.0). After electrophoresis, the gel was soaked in 1 x TAE buffer containing 0.5 /tg/ml ethidium bromide, and DNA was visualized by an ultraviolet illuminator. Reproduced with permission from Zhang, J. R, Wong, C. K., Lam, C. W. K., Ho, C. Y., and Hjelm, N. M., Biochemical assessment of apoptosis. Chinese J. Lab. Med. Clin. Sci. 1, 27-28 (2000).

Many biochemical methods have been developed for the assessment of apoptosis. They are based on the analysis of cellular morphology, DNA fragmentation, or... 

Additionally, patients with familial adenomatous polyposis, an autosomal-dominant disease characterized by numerous small intestinal and colonic polyps with a nearly universal progression to colon cancer, have a favorable response to NSAIDs. Administration of NSAID (usually sulindac) to patients with this disorder reduces the number and size of polyps (DuBois et al., 1996). Recent biochemical evidence indicates that colon polyps and colon cancer are frequendy associated with induction of Cox-2 in the lesion as assessed by expression of Cox-2 mRNA and protein. Such induction appears to correlate with growth of the lesion, and inhibition of Cox-2 correlates with apoptosis of the involved cells (Gupta and DuBois, 1998). 

Jugdutt BI, Idikio HA. Apoptosis and oncosis in acute coronary syndromes Assessment and implications. Mol Cell Biochem 2005 270 177-200. 

Welsh, N. Assessment of apoptosis and necrosis in isolated islets of Langerhans Methodological considerations. Curr. Top. Biochem. Res. 2000, 3, 189-200. 

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