CAJ | 학술논문

Objective To evaluate the effects of arsenic trioxide (As2O3) on apoptosis and differentiation of gastric cancer cell lines (GCCL). Methods MKN45 and SGC7901 cells were treated with As2O3 at different concentrations, then the apoptosis rates and cell cycle were determined by flow cytometry assays, the morphologic changes were observed under fluorescence microscopy and electronic microscopy, and the gene expressions were tested with immunohistologic staining. Results Higher apoptosis rates of GCCL were seen in the As2O3-treated group at concentrations of 5μmol and 10μmol, as compared with those in the 5-Fu-treated group. Cell-nuclear pyknosis and chromosomal condensation were observed. The As2O3 at a concentration of 0.5μmol could induce the cell cycle changes of GCCL, revealing an increase in the proportion of G1/G0 phase cells and a decrease in the proportion of S phase cells. From the fifth day after treatment of SGC7901 with As2O3 at a low concentration, P53 and bcl-XL genes expression rates were reduced, Bax gene expression rate increased, and bcl-2 gene expression showed little change. Conclusion As2O3 could induce GCCL apoptosis at a high concentration and differentiation at a low concentration, but it could not completely reverse the malignant biological behaviours of cancer cells.