Abstract:    Background and purpose: As the development of the completion of the human genome project (HGP), the research focus is turning to the gene function research. At present, the domestic experimental research on the apoptosis of K562 cells induced by antisense olignonucleotides is rare. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of human chronic myelogenou leukemia (CML) bcr-abl fusion gene antisense oligonucletides on autophagy and apoptosis of CMLK562 cells in vitro. Methods: By liposome as the carrier, K562 cells were transfected with the bcr-abl gene antisense olignonucleotides. Hoechst staining method was used to observe the apoptosis inducing effect of different concentrations of oligonucleotides, the expressions of LC3-Ⅱ, autophagy-related protein, were determined by the Western blot method, the cell cycles were determined by flow cytometry (FCM), and JEM-4000EX electron microscope technology was used to detect the apoptosis morphological changes. The apoptosis was detected by DNA agarose gel electrophoresis. Results: Hoechst staining results showed that the bcr-abl gene antisense oligonucletides significantly promoted the apoptosis of K562 cells in a certain concentration dependent manner. Western blot showed that the expression level of LC3-Ⅱ was obviously higher in bcr-abl gene antisense oligonucletides transfected group than the control group, showing a promoting effect on cell autophagy. FCM test results showed that bcr-abl gene antisense oligonucleotides transfected K562 cells showed obvious cell cycle arrest, visible obvious apoptosis morphology under the electron microscope, and DNA Ladder showed obvious apoptosis fragments. Conclusion: The bcr-abl gene antisense olignonucleotides can significantly induce the cell apoptosis of K562. This study provides a new method for CML therapy.

Key words: Chronic myelogenou leukemia, Bcr-abl gene, Antisense oligonucleotides, K562 cells, Apoptosis induction