Abstract
Peimine (PM), a natural product extracted from Fritillaria, has anti-inflammatory, drug resistance reversal, and other pharmacological effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antitumor effects and the molecular mechanisms of PM using gastric cancer MKN-45 cells. Cell counting kit-8 assays were used to evaluate the viability of gastric cancer cells after treatment with PM. The results showed that PM significantly reduced the activity of gastric cancer cells, and the effect was most obvious in MKN-45 cells. Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide staining and flow cytometry were used to assess apoptosis of MKN-45 cells after PM treatment. Our results showed that PM-induced apoptosis of MKN-45 cells. Flow cytometry was also used to determine the mitochondrial membrane potential and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and to assess PM-induced cell-cycle arrest. Additionally, Western blot was used to analyze the expression of signaling pathway proteins and the relationship between apoptosis and ROS accumulation. Our findings showed that PM destroyed the mitochondria by diminishing the mitochondrial membrane potential. In addition, PM regulated the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, and nuclear factor kappa-B signaling pathways by promoting the accumulation of ROS in MKN-45 cells. PM also caused cell-cycle arrest in the G2/M phase by increasing ROS accumulation. Furthermore, PM inhibited cell migration by regulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. In conclusion, PM plays an anticancer role through endogenous apoptosis pathways and by inhibiting cell migration, and it has the potential to be a useful treatment for gastric cancers.