Destruction of gastric cancer cells to mesothelial cells by apoptosis in the early peritoneal metastasis

This study examined the mechanism by which the gastric cancer cells lead to early peritoneal metastasis. HMrSV5 cells, a human peritoneal mesothelial cell line, were co-incubated with the supernatants of gastric cancer cells. Morphological changes of HMrSV5 cells were observed. The cell damage was quantitatively determined by MTT assay. The apoptosis of HMrSV5 cells was observed under transmission electron microscope. Acridine orange/ethidium bromide-stained condensed nuclei was detected by fluorescent microscopy and flow cytometry. The expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax was immunochemically evaluated. The results showed that conspicuous morphological changes of apoptosis were observed in HMrSV5 cells 24 h after treatment with the supernatants of gastric cancer cells. The supernatants could induce apoptosis of HMrSV5 cells in a time-dependent manner. The supernatants could up-regulate the expression of Bax and suppress that of Bcl-2 in HMrSV5 cells. These findings demonstrated that gastric cancer cells can induce the apoptosis of HPMCs through supernatants in the early peritoneal metastasis. The abnormal expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax may contribute to the apoptosis. Anti-apoptosis drugs promise to be adjuvant chemotherapeutic agents in the treatment of peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer.