Cinnamic hydroxamic acid inhibits the proliferation of gastric cancer cells via upregulation of miR 145 expression and down-regulation of P13K/Akt signaling pathway

Purpose: To investigate the anti-proliferative effect of cinnamic hydroxamic acid (CHA) on gastric cancer (GC) cells, and its mechanism of action.Methods: Two GC cell lines (SGC-7901 and MKN1) and normal human gastric epithelial cells (GES1) were used for this study. The GC cells were cultured in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (DMEM)supplemented with 10 % fetal bovine serum (FBS) and 1 % penicillin/streptomycin solution at 37 °C for 24 h in a humidified atmosphere of 5 % CO2 and 95 % air. GES1 cells were cultured in RPMI medium supplemented with 10 % FBS only. Cell viability and apoptosis were determined using 3 (4,5 dimethyl thiazol 2 yl) 2,5 diphenyl 2H tetrazolium bromide (MTT), and flow cytometric assays, respectively. The level of expression of microRNA-145 (miR-145) was determined using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Protein expressions of c-Myc, p-AKT, PI3K, p21, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9were determined using Western blotting.Results: Treatment of GC cells with CHA for 72 h led to significant and dose-dependent reduction in their viability, and significant and dose-dependent increase in the number of apoptotic cells (p < 0.05). It also significantly arrested GC cell cycle at G1 phase (p < 0.05). The treatment significantly and dosedependently decreased SGC-7901 and MKN1 cell migration and invasion, and upregulated miR-145 mRNA expression (p < 0.05). The expression of miR-145 mRNA was significantly higher in MKN1 cells than in SGC-7901cells (p < 0.05). Treatment of SGC-7901 and MKN1 cells with CHA significantly downregulated protein expressions of c-Myc, MMP-2/9, PI3K and p-AKT, but upregulated p21 protein expression (p< 0.05).Conclusion: These results show that CHA inhibits the proliferation of GC cells via upregulation of miR-145 expression and down-regulation of P13K/Akt signaling pathway. Therefore, CHA has a good potential as a therapeutic agent for the management of gastric cancer Keywords: Apoptosis, Cinnamic hydroxamic acid, Gastric cancer, Metastasis, Proliferation