Original Articles
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2000. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 15, 2000; 6(5): 676-680
Published online Oct 15, 2000. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v6.i5.676
Effects of tachyplesin on the morphology and ultrastructure of human gastric carcinoma cell line BGC-823
Qi Fu Li, Gao Liang Ou-Yang, Chang You Li, Shui Gen Hong
Qi Fu Li, Gao Liang Ou-Yang, Chang You Li, Shui Gen Hong, Laboratory of Cell Biology, College of Life Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, Fujian Province, China
Qi Fu Li, graduated from Xiamen University as a Ph.D in 1987, associate professor of cell biology, majoring in cancer cell biology, having 32 papers published.
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province, No. C97015
Correspondence to: Dr. Qi Fu Li, Laboratory of Cell Biology, College of Life Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, Fujian Province, China
Telephone: 0086-592-2183619 Fax: 0086-592-2186630
Received: May 12, 2000
Revised: June 16, 2000
Accepted: June 23, 2000
Published online: October 15, 2000
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the morphological and ultrastructural changes in the human gastric carcinoma cell line BGC-823 after being treated with tachyplesin.

METHODS: Tachyplesin was isolated from acid extracts of Chinese horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus) hemocytes. BGC-823 cells and the cells treated with 2.0 mg/L tachyplesin were examined respectively under light microscope, scanning and transmission electron microscope.

RESULTS: BGC-823 cells had undergone the restorational alteration in morphology and ultrastructure after tachyplesin treatment. The changes were as follows: the shape of cells was unanimous, the volume enlarged and cells turned to be flat and spread, the nucleo-cytoplasmic ratio lessened and nuclear shape became rather regular, the number of nucleolus reduced and its volume lessened, heter-chromatin decreased while euchromatin increased in nucleus. In the cytoplasm, mitochondria grew in number with consistent structure relatively, Golgi complex turned to be typical and well-developed, rough endoplasmic reticulum increased and polyribosome decreased. The microvilli at cellular surface were rare and the filopodia reduced while lamellipodia increased at the cell edge.

CONCLUSION: Tachyplesin could alter the malignant morphological and ultrastructural characteristics of human gastric carcinoma cells effectively and have a certain inducing differen-tiation effect on human gastric carcinoma cells.

Keywords: stomach neoplasms/ultrastructure; horseshoe crabs; stomach neoplasms; tachyplesin; microscopy, electron; cell morphology