[Lycorine inhibits the proliferation and promotes apoptosis of SGC-7901 gastric cancer cells by downregulating expression of cyclin D1].

Objective To investigate the effect of lycorine on the proliferation and apoptosis of gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells. Methods Effect of lycorine on the proliferation of SGC-7901 cells and 50% inhibitory concentration (IC) of lycorine were determined by CCK-8 assay. SGC-7901 cells were treated with IC lycorine, and 48 hours later, cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry, and the level of cyclin D1 mRNA and protein was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot analysis. Results Lycorine obviously inhibited the proliferation of SGC-7901 gastric cancer cells in a concentration- or time-dependent manner. The IC of 24 hours and 48 hours to gastric cancer cells treated with lycorine was (20.85±2.36) μmol/L and (13.29±1.28) μmol/L, respectively. The cell cycle was arrested in G0/G1 phase, the apoptosis rate of cells increased, and the level of cyclin D1 mRNA and protein decreased significantly 48 hours after the treatment with 13 μmol/L lycorine. Conclusion Lycorine can inhibit the proliferation of SGC-7901 gastric cancer cells, induce cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase and promote cell apoptosis. The mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of cyclin D1 expression.