Abstract: BACKGROUND ＆ AIM: To study the effect of sulindac on growth inhibition of human gastric cancer cells BGC-823 in vitro and its antineoplastic mechanisms. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Human gastric cancer cells BGC-823 were incubated with various concentrations of sulindac for different periods. Antiproliferation effects were measured by MTT colorimetric assay, flow cytometry was used for cell cycle distribution, transmission electron microscopy was used to examine cell apoptosis morphology, immunohistochemical staining was used to measure the expressions of ki-67, bcl-2 and COX-2 in cells. RESULTS: Sulindac could inhibit the growth of BGC-823 cells, increased the proportion of cells in the G0/G1 phase, and decreased the proportion of cells in the S phase. Some morphologic features of apoptosis and the apoptosis bodies were examined by transmission electron microscopy, showing a decreased expressions of ki-67, bcl-2 and COX-2 in cells. All the effects demonstrated a time-and dose-dependent relationship. CONCLUSION: Sulindac could significantly inhibit the growth of human gastric cancer cells BGC-823 in vitro and the antitumor mechanism may be related to affecting cell cycle distribution, inducing cell apoptosis and inhibiting the expression of COX-2, bcl-2, and ki-67.

Key words: sulindac, gastric cancer cells, proliferation, apoptosis, COX-2