Abstract:
Objective: To investigate the effect of exogenous nitric oxide on the growth and the expressions of c-jun and c-fos in gastric cancer cell line AGS. Methods:The AGS cells were treated with SNP, Na 3Fe(CN)6 and L-NAME. The growth inhibition of cancer cells was determined by MTT assay. The changes of mRNA expressions of c-jun and c-fos were examined by RT-PCR. The protein expressions of c-jun and c-fos were analyzed by Western blot. Results: SNP inhibited AGS cell growth in a dose-dependent manner with a 24hour IC50value of 2.13mmol/L. When the AGS cells were treated with 1 mmol/L SNP for12, 24and 48hours, the growth inhibition rates were ( 16.12± 0.85)%, (20.33± 1.31)% and ( 22.06± 2.03)%, respectively ( P<0.05). L-NAME reversed the effect of SNP in inhibiting the growth of AGS cells. Na 3Fe(CN)6 had a very small effect on the growth inhibition of AGS cells. Compared with the control group, SNP reduced the gene and protein expressions of c-jun and c-fos in gastric cancer cell line AGS. Such decreases were reversed by pretreatment with L-NAME. Na 3Fe(CN)6 had little effect on the gene and protein expressions of c-fos and c-jun. Conclusion : Nitric oxide may work to inhibit gastric cancer cell line AGS growth by decreasing the expression of c-fos and c-jun.