title: Induction of apoptosis by S-allylmercapto-L-cysteine, a biotransformed garlic derivative, on a human gastric cancer cell line.
abstract: Epidemiological and experimental carcinogenesis studies provide evidence that certain components of garlic have anti-cancer activity. Although the biotransformed garlic derivative S-allylmercapto-L-cysteine (SAMC) has been reported to show an inhibitory effect on tumorigenesis, the mechanisms are poorly understood. The present study investigated the effect of SAMC on the growth of human gastric cancer SNU-1 cells. Upon treatment with SAMC, a concentration-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation was observed and cells developed many of the hallmark features of apoptosis, including DNA fragmentation and an increase in the sub-diploid population. The anti-proliferative and apoptotic effect of SAMC was associated with the induction of Bax, p53, and caspase-9, rather than the induction of Bcl-2 and p21. Mitochondrial cytochrome c activation and an in vitro caspase-3 activity assay demonstrated that the activation of caspases accompanies the apoptotic effect of SAMC, which mediates cell death. These results suggest that the apoptotic effect of SAMC on gastric cancer SNU-1 cells may be connected with caspase-3 activation through the induction of Bax and p53, rather then Bcl-2 and p21.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Biotechnology, Dongseo University, Busan 617-716, Korea. lyk@dongseo.ac.kr
authors.forename: Yongkyu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000490:Allium; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020169:Caspases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003545:Cysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005737:Garlic; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015689:Oncogene Protein p21(ras) / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; C086300:S-allylmercaptocysteine; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D045304:Cytochromes c; D053148:Caspase 3; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases; D015689:Oncogene Protein p21(ras); D003545:Cysteine