Uridine triphosphate inhibits the proliferation of gastric cancer cells through Ca2+-mediated autophagy

Objective To study the effect of uridine triphosphate (UTP) on the proliferation of gastric cancer cells and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods The effects of UTP and BAPTA-AM (an intracellular calcium chelator) on the proliferation of gastric cancer cell lines SGC-7901 and AGS were tested using CCK-8 assay. Colony formation assay was used to assess the effect of UTP on the colony-forming ability of gastric cancer cells. The effect of UTP on cyt in the cells was explored with digital Ca2+ imaging. Western blotting was performed to observe the effect of UTP and BAPTA-AM on the protein expression of LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ in the cells. Results UTP significantly inhibited the proliferation and the colony-forming ability of SGC-7901 and AGS cells(P < 0.05), and these inhibitory effects were reversed by BAPTA-AM. Digital Ca2+ imaging showed that UTP obviously increased cyt in the gastric cancer cells. The results of Western blotting showed that UTP significantly up-regulated the protein expression of LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ in the cells, and the application of BAPTA-AM obviously blocked the effect of UTP(P < 0.05). Conclusion UTP inhibits the proliferation of gastric cancer cells probably through increasing calcium signaling and up-regulating LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ, and thus causing autophagy.