Abstract: Objective To study the apoptosis effect of curcumin(Cur) on the immortalized human epithelial cell line HaCaT. Methods The apoptosis effect were detected cell by cell count, flow cytometry analysis, DNA gel electrophoresis, Hoechst33258 staining,HE staining, and electron microscopy. Results After treated with 7.5mg/L curcumin the proliferation of HaCaT cells were inhibited, and the inhibitory rate was 83.03%. The results of flow cytometry analysis showed that curcumin could induced the emergence of the phase of apoptosis, and the rate was 13.1%,the cell cycle were arrested in GSUB>2/SUB>/M phase. Agarose gel electrophoresis revealed that cell DNA fragment exhibited characteristic “DNA ladder”. Cell nucleus concentrated and appeared granular fluorescence by Hoechst33258 staining. Light microscope and electron microscope showed that the cells treated with curcumin shrinked, cell nucleus concerntrated.chromatin agglutinated, mitochondria swelled, and apoptosis body formed. Conclusion This study suggests that curcumin could induce apoptosis of immortalized human epithelial cell line HaCaT effectively, and provided an important foundation for further studying the consenescence and apoptosis mechanisms of the epid

Key words: Curcumin, Epidermis cell, Flow cytometry, DNA gel electrophoresis