Nimesulide inhibits proliferation via induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line

AIM:To evaluate the potential role of Nimesulide,a selectiveCOX-2 inhibitor,in proliferation and apoptosis of gastricadenocarcinoma cells SGC7901.METHODS:Cell counts and M-Fr assay were used to quantifythe influence of Nimesulide in the proliferation of SGC7901cells.Transmission electron microscopy and flow cytometrywere used to observe the induction of Nimesulide theapoptosis of SGC7901 cells and influence in the distributionof cell cycle.The expression of P27kip1protein was observedby immunocytochemical staining.RESULTS:SGC-7901 Cells treated with Nimesulide atvarious concentrations exhibited a profound dose-and time-dependent reduction in the proliferation rate over the 72 htest period.The highest survival rate of the cells was 78.7 %,but the lowest being 22.7 %.Nimesulide induced apoptosisof the cells in a dose-dependent and non-linear mannerand increased the proportion of cells in the G0/G1phase anddecreased the proportion in the S and G2/M phase of thecell cycle.Meanwhile,Nimesulide could up-regulate theexpression of P27kip1protein.CONCLUSION:The induction of apoptosis and cell cyclearrest are both anti-proliferative responses that likelycontribute to the antineoplastic action of nimesulide on SGC-7901 cells.The up-regulation of P27kip1gene may contributeto the accumulation of these cells in the G0/G1phase followingtreatment with Nimesulide.Selective COX-2 inhibitor maybe a new channel of the chemoprevention and chemotherapyfor gastric carcinoma.