[Effects of exogenerous nucleotides on the apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells IEC-6].

Objective: To investigate the effects of exogenous nucleotides on apoptosis of a normal rat small intestinal epithelial cell line, IEC-6.
Methods: Cultured IEC-6 cells were treated by four kinds of monophosphate nucleotides and their mixture prepared according to their composition in human milk, then the cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry measurement, morphologic characterization, and electron-microscope observation.
Results: IEC-6 cells treated with AMP or GMP showed a apotosis peak in flow cytometry measurement, but only AMP produce typical apoptosis characteristics in electron-microscope observation. Pyrimidine nucleotides (UMP and CMP)and nucleotides mixture could not induce apoptosis. However, UMP could significantly eliminate the apoptosis-inducing effects of AMP or GMP.
Conclusion: Purine nucleotides induce apoptosis of IEC-6, inducing effects of purine nucleotides. pyrimidine nucleotides UMP could abolish the apoptosis-inducing effects of purine nucleotides.