Objective: To investigate the effects of taraxerol and taraxerol acetate on cell cycle and apoptosis of human gastric epithelial cell line AGS cells.
Methods: The inhibitory effects of taraxerol and taraxerol acetate at different concentrations on AGS cell growth were measured by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method and the concentrations of taraxerol and taraxerol acetate to be used in following experiments were decided. Then, cell cycle analysis was performed by FACScan flow cytometry after culture with taraxerol or taraxerol acetate. Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide staining was used to measure cell apoptosis.
Results: Taraxerol significantly inhibited AGS cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Taraxerol arrested the AGS cells at G(2)/M stage. 110 μmol/L taraxerol elevated the population of AGS cells arrested in G(2)/M phase compared with solvent (P<0.05). Taraxerol also promoted early cell apoptosis in AGS cells. 110 μmol/L taraxerol increased the early cell apoptosis rate from 4.45% to 10.29%, which was 1.31 times higher than that of the untreated cells. However, taraxerol acetate had a lower inhibitory effect than taraxerol, and it showed a tendency of G(2)/M arrest and apoptosis promotion but with no statistical significance (P>0.05).
Conclusion: Taraxerol has inhibitory effects on AGS cell growth through inducing G(2)/M arrest and promotion of cell apoptosis. Taraxerol acetate has less effect on cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of AGS cells than taraxerol.