Abstract:
Objective This study aims to investigate the effect of Helicobacter pylori on the expression of the Bcl-xL gene and its potential effect on human gastric cancer BGC-823 cell lines.
Methods Human gastric cancer BGC-823 cell lines were treated with extracts from East Asian-type andWestern-type H. pylori. Cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT assay. The mRNA level of Bcl-xL was detected by real-time quantitative PCR. The Bcl-xL-mediated RNA interference technique was employed to inhibit Bcl-xL gene expression and BGC-823 cell proliferation. The mRNA level, Bcl-xL protein expression, and inhibitory percentage of BGC-823 cells were detected by RT-PCR, western blot, and MTT assay, respectively.
Results The proliferation of BGC-823 cells treated with H. pylori extract was observed after 24 hours (P<0.01) in relation to the control group. The enhanced cellular proliferation in the East Asian type was higher than that in the Western type (P<0.01). The expression of Bcl-xL mRNA in the groups treated with H. pylori extract was significantly elevated (all P<0.01) compared with the control group. Statistical difference in Bcl-xL mRNA expression was also found between the East Asian type group and theWestern type group (P<0.01). Bcl-xL shRNA significantly reduced Bcl-xL mRNA and protein expressions as well as BGC-823 proliferation.
Conclusion The biologically active elements in H. pylori extract induced the proliferation of gastric epithelial cells by upregulating the expression of Bcl-xL mRNA in human gastric cancer cells. The East Asian-type H. pylori showed stronger influence on cell proliferation and Bcl-xL mRNA expression compared with the Western type. This result implies that the East Asian-type H. pylori had much more biological activity than the Western type. Moreover, Bcl-xL shRNA inhibited Bcl-xL expression and BGC-823 cell proliferation.