Published online Sep 15, 2003. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v9.i9.1930
Revised: February 23, 2003
Accepted: March 21, 2003
Published online: September 15, 2003
AIM: To investigate the effects of allicin on both telomerase activity and apoptosis in gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells.
METHODS: The gastric cancer SGC-7901 adenocarcinoma cells were treated with allicin and the cell cycle, inhibitory rate, apoptosis, telomerase activity and morphologic changes were studied by MTT assay, flow cytometry (FCM), TRAP-PCR-ELISA assay, light microscope, electron microscope respectively. Results were compared with that of AZT (3’-Azido-3’-deoxythymidine).
RESULTS: SGC-7901 cells were suppressed after exposure to allicin of 0.016 mg/mL, 0.05 mg/mL, and 0.1 mg/mL for 48 h. Compared with the control, the difference was significant (P < 0.05). Allicin could induce apoptosis of the cells in a dose-dependent and non-linear manner and increase the proportion of cells in the G2/M phase. Compared with the control, the difference was significant in terms of the percentage of cells in the G2/M phase (P < 0.05). Allicin could inhibit telomerase activity in a time-dependent and dose-dependent pattern. After exposure to allicin at 0.016 mg/mL for 24 hours, SGC-7901 cells showed typical morphologic change.
CONCLUSION: Allicin can inhibit telomerase activity and induce apoptosis of gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells. Allicin may be more effective than AZT.