Effect of Dihydroartemisinin combined with Cisplatin on growth of human gastric cancer SGC7901 cells

【Objective】 To investigate the effect of Dihydroartemisinin(DHA) combined with Cisplatin(CDDP) on the proliferation and apoptosis in human gastric cancer SGC7901 cells and the corresponding mechanism.【Methods】 Cultured SGC7901 cells were divided into 4 groups: control group,DHA group,CDDP group and DHA+DDP group.The proliferation of cells was detected by MTT.Cell cycles and the cell apoptosis rate were obtained by flow cytometry(FCM).Cyclin D1,P21,and Caspase-3 expression were detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting,respectively.【Results】 DHA or CDDP inhibited the growth of SGC7901 cells.The suppression ratio of cells treated with DHA combined CDDP was higher than that of DHA or CDDP treatment alone.A strong synergism was found between DHA and CDDP in SGC7901 cells.After SGC7901 cells were treated with DHA,CDDP,or DHA+ CDDP,the cell population of G1 and the cell apoptosis rate were increased significantly(P 0.05).The cell population of G1 and the cell apoptosis rate of cells treated with DHA combined CDDP were higher than that of DHA or DDP treatment alone(P 0.05).DHA or CDDP reduced the expression of Cyclin D1,and induced the expression of P21and Caspase-3(P 0.05).The changes in expression of Cyclin D1,P21,and Caspase-3 in DHA combined CDDP group were more greater than in DHA or CDDP group(P 0.05).【Conclusion】 DHA and CDDP have a synergetic effect on the inhibition of SGC7901 cells.The effect may be related with its down-regulation of Cyclin D1,up-regulation of P21and Caspase-3,as well as induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.