[Myrislignan Induces Apoptosis in Gastric Cancer Cell Line Through PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway]

Objective: To investigate the effect of myrislignan (MYR) on the Apoptosis of gastric Cancer cell line and its relationship with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway.

Methods: The gastric cells (SGC-7901) were treated with MYR at different concentrations, i.e., 0, 25, 50, 100, and 200 μmol/L, for 48 h and 72 h and the effect of MYR on the proliferation of SGC-7901 cells was measured by CCK-8 assay. Then, SGC-7901 cells were treated with different concentrations of MYR at 50, 100, and 200 μmol/L for 48 h. Meanwhile, a normal control group and a dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solvent control group (0.1% DMSO) were established. Flow cytometry was used to determine the Apoptosis rate of SGC-7901 cells. The protein expression levels of PI3K, Akt, Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), cysteine-dependent aspartate-specifc protease-3 (Caspase-3), and Caspase-9 were determined by Western blot. Then, PI3K Activator (20 μmol/mL) was used to treat SGC-7901 cells for 48 h in 4 groups, the control group, 0.1% DMSO group, MYR group, and MYR+PI3K activator group, and the effect on MYR's induction of Apoptosis and regulation of the protein expression levels of PI3K, Akt, Bax, Caspase-3, and Caspase-9 in SGC-7901 cells.

Results: Compared with the control group, MYR at 50, 100 and 200 μmol/L inhibited the proliferation of gastric Cancer cells, increased the Apoptosis rate, down-regulated the protein expression levels of PI3K and Akt, and up-regulated the protein expression levels of Bax, Caspase-3, and Caspase-9 in a dose-dependent manner ( P<0.05). However, PI3K Activator attenuated MYR-induced Apoptosis in gastric Cancer cells and MYR's regulation of PI3K, Akt, Bax, Caspase-3, and Caspase-9 protein expression ( P<0.05).

Conclusion: MYR induces the expression of Bax, Caspase-3, and Caspase-9 proteins by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, thereby promoting the Apoptosis of gastric Cancer cells.