Abstract: BACKGROUND AND AIM: In order to investigate the roles of TRAIL in vitamin E succinate (VES)-induced apoptosis in human gastric cancer MKN28 cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The MKN28 huamn gastric cancer cells were cultured with different concentrations of VES.The MKN28 cells were divided into four groups:5,10,20 μg/ml VES and control groups. Apoptosis was assessed by DAPI staining, and TRAIL-receptor(DR4,DR5,DcR1 and DcR2) protein expressions induced by VES at different doses and different time points were measured by western blot. RESULTS: The results showed that VES obviously induced cells to undergo apoptosis.The expression of DR4 and DR5 were increased by VES at 5,10,20 μg/ml for 12 h; however the expression of DcR1 and DcR2 were reduced .DR4 and DR5 were increased by the hour,then reached the top level at 12 h. CONCLUSION: The data implicated that TRAIL pathway might be invovled in VES-induced apoptosis.

Key words: TRAIL, Vitamin E succinate, human gastric cancer MKN28, apoptosis