Astragalus extract inhibits destruction of gastric cancer cells to mesothelial cells by anti-apoptosis

Abstract

AIM:To determine the inhibitory effect of Astragalus memebranaceushas on gastric cancer cell supernatantinduced apoptosis of human peritoneal mesothelial cells. METHODS:Human peritoneal mesothelial cell (HPMC) line HMrSV5 was co-incubated with gastric cancer cell supernatant (MKN45) and/or Astragalus memebranaceushas. Morphological changes in gastric cancer cells were observed under phase-contrast microscope. Quantitative cell damage was determined by MTT assay. Apoptosis was determined under transmission electron microscope and quantified by detecting acridine orange/ethidium bromide-stained (AO/EB) condensed nuclei under fluorescent microscope or by flow cytometry. Expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax were evaluated with immunostaining. RESULTS: Morphological changes and exfoliation occurred and naked areas appeared in culturedHMrSV5 cells 24 h after they were treated with gastric cancer cell supernatant. Cell supernatant from MKN45 gastric cancer cells induced apoptosis of HMrSV5 cells in a time-dependent manner. Obvious morphological changes were observed in cell apoptosis, such as condensation of chromatin, nuclear fragmentations and apoptotic bodies. Astragalus memebranaceus could partly suppress these changes and regulate the expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax in HMrSV5 cells. CONCLUSION:Gastric cancer cells induce apoptosis of HPMCs through the supernatant. Astragalus memebranaceushas inhibits this phenomenon and can be used an adjuvant chemothera-peutic agent in gastric cancer therapy.

Effect of urokinase-type plasminogen activator system in gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis

“…Mesothelial cells are the primary component of the peritoneum (27). Following adhesion onto peritoneal tissue, gastric cancer cells that have interacted with proteolytic enzymes may migrate into the ECM via mesothelial cells (28). The hydrolysis of the ECM by a malignant tumor is a necessity for tumor migration and invasion, which involves numerous proteolytic enzymes.…”

Protective Effect of Astragalus polysaccharides on Liver Injury Induced by Several Different Chemotherapeutics in Mice

“…Moreover, a variety of potential therapeutic roles of Astragalus have been demonstrated in the treatment of immunodeficiency syndromes and cancer (Anonymous, 2003). For instance, it has been reported that Astragalus extract inhibits destruction of gastric cancer cells to mesothelial cells through anti-apoptosis (Na et al, 2009). The active pharmacological constituents of Astragalus membranaceus contain various bioactive compounds, such as flavones, polysaccharides and saponins as well as L-arginine or L-canavanine (Ma et al, 2002b).…”

Enhanced Antitumor Efficacy with Combined Administration of Astragalus and Pterostilbene for Melanoma

“…For example, astragalus membranaceus (AM) injection supplemented with chemotherapy was found to inhibit the development of tumor, decrease the toxic-adverse effect of chemotherapy, elevate the immune function of organism and improve the quality of life in patients of malignant tumor (McCulloch et al, 2006). Similar results were obtained in the study with gastric cancer (Na et al, 2009). Besides, it was reported that AM injection could enhance the anti-tumor metastasis action of dendritic cells, effectively promote the immune response of tumor-bearing host and therefore had obviously inhibitory effect on cancer metastasis in vivo (Dong et al, 2005).…”