Functions of the AP-2α gene in activating apoptosis and inhibiting proliferation of gastric cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo

This study was designed to investigate the potential function of the activating protein 2α (AP-2α) gene in controlling the proliferation and apoptosis of gastric cancer. Gastric cancer cell line MCG-803 cells and normal cell line GES-1 cells were selected to transfect pcDNA3.1(+)-AP-2α and pcDNA3.1(+) plasmids, respectively. Both mRNA and protein levels of AP-2α in each group transfected with the pcDNA3.1(+)-AP-2α plasmids were up-regulated after 48 h by real-time PCR and Western blotting analysis, leading to marked proliferation inhibition and significant cell cycle arrest. pcDNA3.1(+)-AP-2α reduced tumor tissue growth in a subcutaneous tumor gastric carcinoma nude mouse model. Protein over-expression of AP-2α in the nude mouse model was accompanied by down-regulation of Blc-2 and ErbB2, resulting in the up-regulation of caspase-3, -8, and -9, ERα and p21 . The reintroduction of the AP-2α gene by pcDNA3.1 could inhibit gastric tumor growth and , which may be an alternative future therapeutic molecular target for human gastric cancer.