Study on Anti-cancer Effect of Plant Extract ACA-1 on Gastric Adenocarcinoma Cell Line

Abstract

Background: Apoptosis provides solutions for the treatment of cancers and its induction is used as a strategy for preparing drugs that destroy pre-neoplastic cells. Many plant compounds have anti-tumoral activity. ACA-1 plant product is an aqueous extract and has been used in traditional medicine in Iran and has cytotoxicity effect on melanoma cancer cells. Objective: In this study, anti-cancer effect of ACA-1 plant product on gastric adenocarcinoma cells was evaluated and the mechanism of its action was studied. Methods: Cytotoxicity of ACA-1 on gastric adenocarcinoma cells (AGS) and fibroblasts (HgF) was determined after 24 hours of incubation by MTT assay. Annexin V-FITC and PI staining method was used for measuring the cell apoptosis. Activity of aspase 8 and 9 was assayed by enzymatic method. An ECMatrix was used for determining invasion ability of AGS cells. Results: ACA-1 showed strong and dose - dependent toxicity on AGS cells by induction of early apoptosis. Increase in caspase 8 and 9 activities was involved in this process. Also, ACA-1 decrease the invasion ability on AGS cells. Conclusion: ACA-1 induced apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells by activating caspase 8 and 9. With respect to decreasing cell invasion of AGS cells, ACA-1 may be considered as a potential candidate against human gastric cancer.

Keywords

• cancer
• aca-1
• apoptosis
• caspase