Luteolin is a natural
flavonoid possessing certain beneficial pharmacological properties, including
anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-
cancer properties. The majority of types of
gastric cancer with chronic
gastritis are caused by
infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). The present study evaluated the effect of
luteolin on a number of selected factors that are potentially involved in
gastric cancer development. The study was performed using
gastric cancer CRL-1739 cells treated with 30 µM
luteolin and H. pylori alone or combined. ELISA and reverse transcription PCR were used to assess the expression levels of MUC1, GalNAcα-R (
Tn antigen) and NeuAcα2-3Galβ1-3GalNAc-R (
sT antigen),
ADAM-17,
IL-8,
IL-10 and NF-κB. H. pylori and
luteolin independently and in combination significantly reduced the expression levels of the extracellular domain of MUC1 in
gastric cancer cells compared with the untreated control cells.
ADAM-17 expression was reduced by treatment with the pathogen and
luteolin. Additionally, both factors reduced
sT antigen expression. Treatment with 30 ≤M
luteolin significantly induced
IL-8 expression at the
mRNA and
protein level, and the
mRNA expression levels of
IL-10 and NF-κB compared with the control. Both H. pylori and
luteolin induced
IL-8 protein expression. The present preliminary results suggest that
luteolin may be used to treat patients with
gastric cancer.