Abstract:

Objective To investigate the effects of Mitoxantrone on the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Caspase-3 and p53 genes in gastric mucosa of rats with gastric cancer. Methods Rat models of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)-induced gastric cancer were established, and blank control group (group N), model control group (group M), small dose Mitoxantrone group (group ML) and mega dose Mitoxantrone group (group MH) were divided, with 25 rats in each group. The expression of PCNA in tissues of gastric cancer was detected by immunohistochemical S-P method, the activity of Caspase-3 was determined by spectrophotometry, and the expression of p53 gene and protein was detected by Real-Time PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Results There was no expression of PCNA in group N, and the expression of PCNA in group ML and group MH was significantly lower than that in group M (P<0.01, P<0.05). The activity of Caspase-3 in group M and group MH was significantly lower than that in group N (P<0.01, P<0.05), while the expression of Caspase-3 in group ML and group MH was significantly higher than that in group M (P<0.01, P<0.05). The expression of p53 gene in group M was significantly higher than that in group N (P<0.01). The expression of p53 gene in group ML and group MH gradually decreased （P<0.01, P<0.05）,while was still higher than that in group N. The expression of p53 protein in group M was higher than that in group ML, and the expression of p53 protein in group MH was lower than that in group ML. Conclusion Mitoxantrone is effective in the treatment of rats with gastric cancer by changing the expression of genes, which may inhibit or reverse the development of cancer.

Key words: Mitoxantrone, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, Caspase-3, p53, gastric cancer