title: Effects of allicin on both telomerase activity and apoptosis in gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of allicin on both telomerase activity and apoptosis in gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  The gastric cancer SGC-7901 adenocarcinoma cells were treated with allicin and the cell cycle, inhibitory rate, apoptosis, telomerase activity and morphologic changes were studied by MTT assay, flow cytometry (FCM), TRAP-PCR-ELISA assay, light microscope, electron microscope respectively. Results were compared with that of AZT (3'-Azido-3'-deoxythymidine).
  
  
  RESULTS
  SGC-7901 cells were suppressed after exposure to allicin of 0.016 mg/ml, 0.05 mg/ml, and 0.1 mg/ml for 48 h. Compared with the control, the difference was significant (P<0.05). Allicin could induce apoptosis of the cells in a dose-dependent and non-linear manner and increase the proportion of cells in the G(2)/M phase. Compared with the control, the difference was significant in terms of the percentage of cells in the G2/M phase (P<0.05). Allicin could inhibit telomerase activity in a time-dependent and dose-dependent pattern. After exposure to allicin at 0.016 mg/ml for 24 hours, SGC-7901 cells showed typical morphologic change.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Allicin can inhibit telomerase activity and induce apoptosis of gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells. Allicin may be more effective than AZT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou 221002, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D004220:Disulfides; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013441:Sulfinic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019098:Telomerase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D013997:Time Factors; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004220:Disulfides; D013441:Sulfinic Acids; C006452:allicin; D019098:Telomerase