The Effect of Pantoprazole on Tumor Growth and Apoptosis in Gastric Cancer Stem-Like Cells

Background: Gastric cancer is a daunting global problem with unsatisfactory treatment. Due to the key role of Gastric Cancer Stem-like Cells (GCSCs) in all stages of gastric cancer and the failure of contemporary anticancer therapies, many research efforts are focusing on these treatmentresistant cells. Pantoprazole, as recently considered antitumor agent with well-documented effects on tumorigenesis inhibition, has seldom been investigated in GCSCs in previous studies. We aimed to study the influence of pantoprazole on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and the transcription of genes involved in the cell proliferation and apoptosis pathways. Materials and Methods: Herein, we isolated GCSCs from MKN-45 cell line, on a non-adherent surface and then evaluated the effect of pantoprazole on cell growth and apoptosis of GCSCs by means of MTT, DNA laddering and quantitative real-time RT-PCR techniques. Results: Our findings showed that treated cells with pantoprazole decreased cell proliferation and induced apoptosis. PCNA (Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen) and antiapoptotic Bcl2 genes were downregulated and Bax and CASP3 proapoptotic genes, as well as tumor suppressor p53 gene, were overexpressed. Conclusion: Our results revealed that pantoprazole induced apoptosis and declined tumor growth and support the idea that pantoprazole played as a promising breakthrough in gastric cancer therapy.