Detection of drug-induced apoptosis and necrosis in human cervical carcinoma cells using H-1 NMR spectroscopy

Apoptosis and necrosis need to be differentiated in order to distinguish dr ug-induced cell death from spontaneous cell death due to hypoxia. The abili ty to differentiate between these two modes of cell death, especially at an early stage in the process, could have a significant impact on accessing t he outcome of anticancer drug therapy in the clinic, Nuclear magnetic reson ance spectroscopy was used to distinguish apoptosis from necrosis in human cervical carcinoma (Hela) cells. Apoptosis was induced by treatment with th e topoisomerase II inhibitor etoposide, whereas necrosis was induced by the use of ethacrynic acid or cytochalasin B, We found that the intensity of t he methylene resonance increases significantly as early as 6 h after the on set of apoptosis, but that no such changes occur during necrosis. The spect ral intensity ratio of the methylene to methyl resonances also shows a high correlation with the percentage of apoptotic cells in the sample (r(2)=0.9 65, P < 0.003).