[Quercetin inhibits growth and induces apoptosis of human gastric carcinoma cells].

AIM: To study the effect of quercetin on the growth and apoptosis of human gastric carcinoma cell line MGC-803. METHODS: The measurement of inhibitory rate and apoptotic index(AI) of quercetin were done by MTT assay and TUNEL assay. The positive expression rate of P53, C-myc and P16 were detected by immunocytochemical staining. RESULTS: Quercetin at concentrations ranging from 40 mumol/L to 100 mumol/L significantly inhibited the proliferation of MGC-803 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner (P<0.01). TUNEL assay indicated that the number of apoptotic cells in quercetin-treated group was greater than that in the control group (P<0.01). Expression of P53 and C-myc protein decreased following quercetin induction in a dose-dependent manner, whereas P16 expression increased significantly compared with that of the control group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Quercetin can inhibit the growth and induce apoptosis of MGC-803 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Its mechanisms may be relevant to the down-regulation of P53 and C-myc protein expression as well as up-regulation of P16 expression.