[An experimental study on destruction of K562 and HL60 induced by 5-aminolaevulinic acid-based photodynamic therapy]

This experiment was designed to explore the pattern of K562 and HL60 leukemia cells death, the effects on their cell cycle and the cytoplasmic free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) induced by 5-aminolaevulinic acid-based photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT). Under the transmission electron microscope (TEM), two kinds of leukemia cells' ultrastructure were observed. Flow cytometry combined with Annexin V-FITC/PI labeling was used to detect the pattern of K562 and HL60 cells' death induced by ALA-PDT. Flow cytometry combined with PI labeling was used to analyze the change in the cell cycle induced by ALA-PDT, and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) combining with calcium fluorescence probe was used to detect the change in the cytoplasmic free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i). Immediately after irradiation, many typical apoptotic bodies were seen in the cells treated. Most of the cells treated were necrotic at 24 hours following irradiation. Flow cytometry analysis suggested that the main patterns of the cells' death were apoptosis immediately after irradiation and necrosis post-apoptosis at 24 hours post irradiation. Immediately and 24 hours after irradiation, the proportion of S phase of K562 was 57. 67% +/- 1.13% and 84.77% +/- 6.20% respectively, and the proportion of S phase of HL60 was 74.60% +/- 7.27% and 84.60% 1.74% respectively. Both [Ca+]i of the treated K562 and HL60 were increased obviously. In the best experiment condition, the initial pattern of the K562 and HL60 leukemia cells' death induced by PDT was apoptosis and the main pattern was necrosis post apoptosis. The two kinds of cells were arrested at S phase by ALA-PDT. During the death of the leukemia cells, the increase in intracellular free calcium concentration could be responsible for the ALA photodynamically induced damage to K562 and HL60 cells.