title: [Synergistic interaction between melittin and chemotherapeutic agents and their possible mechanisms: an experimental research].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of melittin and 5-Fu, DDP, and TXT on human gastric cancer cell line BGC-823 and to primarily explore their possible mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Median effect analysis was employed to determine the interaction between melittin and 5-Fu, DDP, TXT by analyzing the relationship between fraction affected (FA) and the combination index (CI) acquired from the dose-effect curve. Expressions of chemotherapeutic agent-associated genes of BGC-823 cells with or without treatment were measured by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) Both melittin and chemotherapeutic agents inhibited the growth of BGC-823. (2) For BGC-823 cells were acted by 5-Fu +melittin, when FA ranged between 0.35-0.75, CI was less than 1. For BGC-823 cells were acted by DDP + melittin, when FA ranged 0.55 or so, CI = 1; when Fa ranged below 0.55, CI was less than 1. For BGC-823 cells were acted by TXT + melittin, CI less than 1 could be seen in the whole interval. (3) After treatment suppressed were the expressions of chemotherapeutic agent-associated genes of BGC-823 cells such as thymidylate synthetase (TS), excision repair cross-complementing gene 1 (ERCC1), breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 (BRCA1), beta-tubulin III (TUBB3), and microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Melittin had a synergistic effect on the cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic agents. The possible mechanisms might be associated with down-regulating chemotherapeutic agent-associated genes.
authors.forename: Rui-Ping
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shu-Ran
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jin-Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zou
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008555:Melitten / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D008555:Melitten; D005472:Fluorouracil