Alantolactone exerts anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects on BGC823 and SGC7901 cells via activation of p38MAPK and inhibition of NF-κB signaling pathway

Purpose: To investigate the anti-proliferative and apoptotic influences of alantolactone on gastric carcinoma (GC) cell lines, and the mechanism(s) involved. Methods: Human gastric cancer cell line (BGC823) and gastric adenocarcinoma lymph node metastasis cell line (SGC7901) were maintained in Ham’s F12 medium supplemented with 10 % heatinactivated fetal bovine serum (FBS). In each group of cancer cell line, 5 groups of cells were used: control and four alantolactone groups which were treated with increasing concentrations of alantolactone (5 - 30 μM) for varying periods. Proliferation was determined using MTT assay, while realtime quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to assay the expressions of apoptosis- and metastasis-related genes. The expressions of p38MAPK and nuclear transcription factor-κB (NF-κB) in BGC823 and SGC7901 cells were measured with Western blotting. Results: Phosphorylated protein (p-p38 protein) expression was significantly higher in both groups of GC cells, relative to control (p < 0.05). The expressions of NF-κB in plasma protein were markedly higher in both groups of GC cells than in control group, but the corresponding expressions in nuclear protein were significantly lower in both groups of GC cells, relative to control (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Alantolactone exerts anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects on BGC823 and SGC7901 cells via mechanisms involving activation of the p38MAPK, and inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathways. Thus, alantolactone may be a new and effective anti-gastric cancer drug.