Title: Effects of all‐<i>trans</i>‐retinoic on human gastric cancer cells BGC‐823
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To determine the inhibitory effects of all‐ trans ‐retinoic acid (ATRA) on cell growth, cell cycle and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in the human gastric cancer cell line BGC‐823 in vitro . METHODS: Human gastric cancer BGC‐823 cells were treated with various concentrations of ATRA and the cell growth was then determined using the 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyl tetrazolium bromide viability assay. The cell cycle distribution was analyzed using a flow cytometer. The VEGF mRNA and protein expression were analyzed by semi‐quantitative RT‐PCR and Western blotting, respectively. RESULTS: ATRA at concentrations of 0.1–10 µmol/L inhibited the growth of BGC‐823 cells grown in culture; a time‐ and dose‐dependent inhibitory influence was found. ATRA arrested BGC‐823 cells at the G 0 /G 1 phase in a dose‐dependent way. Both VEGF mRNA and protein were decreased by ATRA in a dose‐dependent way. CONCLUSION: The anti‐tumor effects of ATRA on human gastric cancer cells are associated with G 0 /G 1 phase arrest and decreased VEGF expression.