THE INHIBITING EFFECT OF COLA ON GASTRIC-MUCOSAL CELL-CYCLE PROLIFERATION IN HUMANS

Background: Acidic beverages may be involved in regulating the cell pr oliferation of the gastric mucosa. We therefore analyzed the interacti on of Coca-Cola consumption and gastric mucosal proliferation by means of flow cytometry. Methods: Sixteen healthy students agreed to partic ipate in this study. All volunteers underwent an oesophagogastroduoden oscopy after a 12-h overnight fas:. Endoscopic changes in the gastric mucosa were determined quantitatively. One day later, after a 12-h ove rnight fast, all volunteers received standard Coca-Cola (200 ml, pH 2. 6, 4 degrees C). One hour later all volunteers again underwent oesopha gogastroduodenoscopy, to measure gastric mucosal damage. During both t he first and the second endoscopy at least four biopsy specimens were taken from the antrum for flow cytometric analysis. Results: The endos copic analysis showed that there was no difference before and after Co ca-Cola consumption. However, the flow cytometric analysis showed that Coca-Cola inhibited the proliferation index and the S phase. Before C oca-Cola consumption G0/G1: 60 (57-62), G2/M: 0.6 (0.2-1), S: 40 (37-4 2). and PI: 0.40 (0.38-0.43) and after Coca-Cola consumption G0/G1: 70 (60-73), G2/M: 1.9 (1.2-2.5), S: 28 (26-32), and PI: 0.30 (0.27-0.34) the cell population G0/G1 and G2/M phases were significantly increase d (P < 0.0001, 0.0003), and the cell population S and PI phases were s ignificantly low compared with the pre-consumption data (P < 0.0002, 0 .0001). Conclusion: The cell cycle analysis reflects that Coca-Cola in hibits a crucial event in the cell cycle occurring at the G1/S border.