Gastric cancer is one of the most lethal
cancers worldwide. Research has focused on exploring natural medicines to improve the systematic
chemotherapy for
gastric cancer.
Luteolin, a natural
flavonoid, possesses anticancer activities. Nevertheless, the mechanism of the anticancer effects of
luteolin is still not clear. The present study aimed to verify the inhibitory effect of
luteolin on
gastric cancer HGC-27, MFC and MKN-45 cells and to explore the underlying mechanism. A Cell Counting Kit-8 cell viability assay, flow cytometry, western blot, an
ATP content assay and an
enzyme activity testing assay were used.
Luteolin inhibited the proliferation of
gastric cancer HGC-27, MFC and MKN-45 cells. Further, it impaired mitochondrial integrity and function by destroying the mitochondrial membrane potential, downregulating the activities of mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes (mainly complexes I, III and V), and unbalancing the expression of B cell lymphoma-2 family member
proteins, eventually leading to apoptosis of
gastric cancer HGC-27, MFC and MKN-45 cells. The intrinsic apoptosis pathway was involved in
luteolin's anti-
gastric cancer effects. Furthermore, mitochondria were the main target in
luteolin-induced
gastric cancer apoptosis. The present study may provide a theoretical basis for the research on the effect of
luteolin on the mitochondrial metabolism in
cancer cells, and pave the way for its practical application in the future.