Experimental study on treatment of human gastric cancer cell line BGC-823 with a combination of TRAIL and chemotherapeutic agents

Aim: To explore the role of tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) and the effect of TRAIL combining with chemotherapeutic agent in treatment of gastric cancer. Methods: BGC-823 cells were cultured with TRAIL(10 μg/L, 100 μg/L, 300 μg/L), 5-Fu(10 mg/L,50 mg/L, 100 mg/L),and ADM(0.1 mg/L,1.0 mg/L,10.0 mg/L) at different concentrations,respectively. The proliferation inhibitory rate of BGC-823 cells was measured by using MTT assay and apoptosis rate was determined by using TUNEL method. The expressions of TRAIL-R1, R2, R3 and R4 were detected by using immune cell chemistry. Results: The proliferation inhibitory rate of BGC-823 cells in 10 μg/L, 100 μg/L, 300 μg/L TRAIL groups was significantly higher than that in control group(P0.05). The combination of TRAIL at 10 μg/L, 100 μg/L, or 300 μg/L with 100 mg/L 5-Fu had cooperative effects on proliferation inhibitory rate of BGC-823 cells (P0.05); the same results were found in 100 μg/L or 300 μg/L TRAIL' s combining with 0.1 mg/L, 1.0 mg/L,or 10.0 mg/L ADM (P0.05). It was showed that ADM and 5-Fu could enhance TRAIL' s inducing apoptosis of BGC-823 cells. There was no significant change of TRAIL receptors before and after the therapy. Conclusion: TRAIL has anti-tumor effect by inducing the apoptosis of tumor cells; TRAIL can enhance the effect of ADM and 5-Fu in anti-tumor therapy; the effect of ADM and 5-Fu inducing cell apoptosis has no relationship with TRAIL receptors.