Apoptosis induced by vitamin E succinate in gastric cancer cells

  Objective   To investigate the molecular mechanism of apoptosis induced by vitamin E succinate(VES)in gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901.

  Methods   Cells were treated with 0.1% anhydrous alcohol as control and VES in 5, 10, 20 μg/ml for 24h.Apoptosis and mitochondrial transmembrane potential(ΔΨ_m)were morphologcally assessed through staining with fluorochrome.Mitochondria-nuclear translocation of apoptosis inducing factor(AIF)was detected with Western blotting.

  Results   VES can induce apoptosis significantly in gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901.The apoptotic cells were 49.7% when treated with 20 μg/ml VES, which was associated with the decrease of ΔΨ _m and the redistribution of AIF from mitochondria to cytoplasm.

  Conclusion   VES may induce apoptosis of SGC-7901 through mitochondrial permeability transition which decreased the ΔΨ_m and released AIF from mitochondia.