The Apoptotic Effects of Tolmetin on Human Gastric Cancer Cells

Studies have shown that non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs have an effect on cancer cells of digestive system, however, the cellular and molecular mechanism of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and their effects on the proliferation of gastrointestinal cancer cells is unclear in many cases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of cytotoxic dose of tolmetin on BAX and BCL2 genes expression level in gastric cancer cells (AGS).

In this laboratory-experimental study, AGS cells were purchased from Pasture institute and divided into control group and groups exposed to different concentrations of tolmetin. MTT assay was used to measure cytotoxic effects of tolmetin. Real-time PCR was used to evaluate BAX and BCL2 genes expression levels. The data were statistically analyzed between groups using ANOVA.

Higher decrease in relative expression level of anti-apoptotic BCL2 was observed than expression level of apoptotic BAX gene in AGS cells exposed to IC50 concentration of tolmetin.

The results of this study indicated that tolmetin can induce apoptosis in gastric cancer cells by decreasing of anti-apoptotic BCL2 gene expression level. Therefore, consideration might be given to tolmetin in treatment of gastric cancer.