Abstract: AIM: To investigate the effect of apoptosis and the change of mitochondial tansmembrane potential in A549 cells induced by thermochemotherapy of ADM. METHODS: ADM of different concentrations was directly applied to A549 cells cultivated in vitro.Cells maintained at 42.5 ℃for 30min. RESULTS: The inhibition of A549 cells was increased by thermochemotherapy of ADM significantly, and the cytoplasmic concentration of thermochemotherapy of ADM was significantly higher than that of chemotherapy (P <0.01).When it was 1.0 and 2.0 mg·L^-1, apoptosis rate was increased and mitochondrial transmembrane potential was decreased by thermochemotherapy of ADM (P <0.01). CONCLUSION: The change of motochondial transmembrane potential was the key of apoptosis induced by thermochemotherapy of ADM in A549 cells.

Key words: adriamycin, thermochemotherapy, A549 cells, motochondial transmembrane potential