Synergistic anticancer properties of docosahexaenoic acid and 5-fluorouracil through interference with energy metabolism and cell cycle arrest in human gastric cancer cell line AGS cells

Figure 1 Inhibitory effect of docosahexaenoic acid or/and 5-fluorouracil on the growth of AGS cells. A-C: Growth inhibition rate of AGS following 24 or 48 h treatment with increasing concentrations of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) alone or in combination. The inhibition was in a significant time and dose-dependent manner; D: DHA notably increased 5-FU cytotoxicity. ^aP < 0.05 vs cells treated with DHA (7.50 μg/mL), 5-FU (1.5625 μg/mL), and DHA (7.5 μg/mL) plus 5-FU (1.5625 μg/mL) for 48 h, respectively; ^bP < 0.05 vs cells treated with DHA (7.50 μg/mL), 5-FU (1.5625 μg/mL), and DHA (7.50 μg/mL) plus 5-FU (1.5625 μg/mL) for 24 h, respectively; ^cP < 0.05 vs cells treated with various concentrations of DHA, 5-FU and DHA plus 5-FU for 24 h, respectively; ^dP < 0.05 vs cells treated with a series of concentrations of 5-FU alone for 24 h; ^eP < 0.05 vs cells treated with a series of concentrations of 5-FU alone for 48 h.