[Garlic oil induces differentiation and apoptosis of human gastric cancer cell line].

OBJECTIVES

To study the mechanism of garlic oil-induced differentiation of human gastric cancer cell line BGC-823.

METHODS

Confocal microscopic assay and Northern blot hybridization were used to detect morphological change and gene expression in garlic oil treated human gastric cancer cells (BGC823).

RESULTS

Cell growth in vitro and tumorigenicity in nude mice were inhibited dramatically by garlic oil. Garlic oil treatment resulted in cell apoptosis as shown by DNA fragmentation. High expression level of WAF1/p21 and wild type p53 gene was detected in garlic oil-treated cells.

CONCLUSION

These data indicate that differentiation and apoptosis of BGC-823 cell can be induced with garlic oil, and p21 and p53 genes possibly play important role in the process.