OBJECTIVE

To study the apoptosis in human gastric cancer cell MGC-803 induced by the extract of glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.

METHODS

Apoptosis was detected by laser scanning confocal microscope, agarose gel electrophoresis and flow cytometry. The p53 gene expression was analyzed by double immunolabelling and immunohistochemistry technique.

RESULTS

Chromatin condensation of different phases of apoptotic cells were observed by laser scanning confocal microscope, the percentage of apoptosis determined by flow cytometry was time- and dose-dependent, agarose gel electrophoresis of DNA exhibited obvious "ladder" in the cells treated with higher concentration of the extract of glycyrrhiza uralensis. The p53 gene expression was unchanged after treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Glycyrrhiza can induce human gastric cancer cell line MGC-803 to apoptosis by p53-independent pathway and can be used as a potential, natural apoptosis-inducing agent for gastric cancer therapy.