Effects of garlic oil on tumoragenecity and intercellular communication inhuman gastric cancer cell line

Previous studies have demonstrated that garlic oil (GO) and its anti-tumor compound could inhibit DNA and RNA synthesis in human cancer cells. In orde r to explore the effects of garlic oil on carcinoma cells, a gastric carcin oma cell line, BGC-823 was studied at cellular and molecular levels after g arlic oil treatment. Data showed that the cell differentiation and suppress ion of tumorigenicity were significantly induced in tumor cells after garli c oil treatment. There was a correlation between the cell-cell communicatio n recovery and the increase of p53 and waf1/p21 gene expression in garlic o il-treated cells. This result suggested that tumor suppressor gene waf1/p21 and wt p53 might play an important role in this effect.