Effect of angiopoietin-1 on expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in human gastric cancer cells

Abstract

AIM: To explore the possible mechanism underlying the inhibitory effect of angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) on apoptosis of human gastric cancer cells MGC-803. METHODS: The human gastric cancer cells (MGC-803) were cultured with Ad-Ang1 and Ad-GFP at proper multiplicity of infection (MOI=20) and the expression levels of bcl-2 mRNA, bax mRNA and Bcl-2 protein, Bax protein were determined us-ing RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. RESULTS: The expression levels of Bcl-2 mRNA and its protein were higher in Ad-Ang1 trans-fected group than in Ad-GFP transfected group and control group (0.609±0.01 vs 0.462±0.02, 0.609±0.01 vs 0.475±0.02, both P＜0.05). There was no significant difference between Ad-GFP group and control group. However, compared with the other groups, the expression level of Bax mRNA and its protein in the MGC-803 cells treated with Ad-Ang1 were significantly down-regulated (0.313±0.04 vs 0.413±0.02, 0.313±0.04 vs 0.407±0.03, both P＜0.05). Meanwhile, the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax increased markedly in Ad-Ang-1 transfected group. CONCLUSION: Ang1 gene can significantly up-regulate Bcl-2 expression and down-regulate Bax expression at both transcriptional and translational levels in vitro, which may be one of mechanisms underlying protection against se-rum starvation-induced apoptosis.