AIM:To evaluate the effects of suIindac in inducing growthinhibition and apoptosis of human gastric cancer cells incomparison with human hepatocetlular carcinoma(HCC)cells.METHODS:The human gastric cancer cell lines MKN45 andMKN28 and human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines HepG2and SMMC7721 were used for the study.Anti-proliferativeeffect was measured by MTT assay,and apoptosis wasdetermined by Hoechst-33258 staining,electronography andDNA fragmentation.The protein of cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2)and Bcl-2 were detected by Western dot blotting.RESULTS:Sulindac could initiate growth inhibition andapoptosis of MKN45,MKN28,HepG2and SMMC7721 cells ina dose-and time-dependent manner.Growth inhibitoryactivity and apoptosis were more sensitive in HepG2cellsthan in SMMC7721 cells,MKN45 and MKN28 cells.After 24hours incubation with sulindac at 2mmol·L-1and 4mmol·L-1,the level of COX-2 and Bcl-2 protein wore lowered inMKN45,SMMC7721 and HepG2cells but not in MKN28 cells.CONCLUSION:Sulindac could inhibit the growth of gastriccencer cells and HCC cells effectively in vitro by apoptosisInduction,which was associated with regression of COX-2and Bcl-2 expression.The growth inhibition and apoptosisof HCC cells wore greater than that of human gasstric cancercells.The different effects of apoptosis in gastric cancercells may be related to the differentiation of the cells.
