Effect of hydrogen peroxide on the expression of caspase-3 and changes of ultra-structures on protoscolex cells of Echinococcus granulosus in vitro.

To investigate the effect of hydrogen peroxide(H2O2)on the expression of caspase-3 and the changes of ultra-structures in protoscolex cells of Echinococcus granulosus in vitro,the protoscolex cells were cultured in vitro with special RMPI-1640 medium in which glutamine was added.Then,5 mmol/L of H2O2 was added to these cultures for 8 hours to induce cell apoptosis.The condition of apoptosis induced was observed with TUNEL assay and the protein expression of caspase-3 was detected by SP-immunohistochemical technique to stain caspase-3 protein.Meanwhile,the ultra-structure changes in protoscolex cells were observed by means of electron transmission microscopy(TEM).It was found that the expression of caspace-3 protein and the apoptotic number of protoscolex cells were significantly increased.Under TEM observation,the tero-chromatin in protoscolex cells was also increased and condensation of chromatin could be demonstrated in some of these cells,appearing as the characteristic features of apoptosis.It is concluded that H2O2 can induce the apoptosis of protoscolex cells of E.granulosus in vitro,in which caspase-3 participates the apoptosis of these cells.