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Activation of the caspase-8/Bid and Bax pathways in aspirin-induced apoptosis in gastric cancer.

Gu Q, Wang JD, Xia HH, Lin MC, He H, Zou B, Tu SP, Yang Y, Liu XG, Lam SK, Wong WM, Chan AO, Yuen MF, Kung HF, Wong BC

Department of Gastroenterology, First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.

Aspirin-induced apoptosis is one of the important mechanisms for its antitumour effect against gastric cancer. We aimed at investigating the involvement of bcl-2 family members in the apoptotic pathway in gastric cancer. Gastric cancer cell line AGS and MKN-45 were observed as to cell growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis in response to treatment with aspirin. Cell proliferation was measured by MTT assay. Apoptosis was determined by 4'-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining. Protein expression was determined by western blotting. We showed that aspirin activated caspase-8, caspase-9 and capase-3, cleaved and translocated Bid, induced a conformational change in and translocation of Bax and cytochrome c release. In addition, suppression of caspase-8 with the specific inhibitor z-IETD-fmk, as well as the pan-caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk, prevented Bid cleavage and subsequent apoptosis. The caspase inhibitors failed to abolish the effects on Bax activation. In conclusion, our results identify a role of caspase-8/Bid and activation of Bax as a novel mechanism for aspirin-induced apoptosis in gastric cancer.

Published 24 February 2005 in Carcinogenesis, 26(3): 541-6.
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