Induction of apoptosis by gallic acid in human stomach cancer KATO III andcolon adenocarcinoma COLO 205 cell lines

Antitumor effects of gallic acid on human Stomach cancer KATO III cells and human colon adenocarcinoma COLO 205 cells were investigated. The exposures of KATO III and COLO 205 cells to gallic acid led to both growth inhibitio n and induction of apoptosis. Morphological changes showing apoptotic bodie s were observed in both the cell lines treated with gallic acid. The fragme ntations by gallic acid of DNA to oligonucleosomal-sized fragments, that ar e characteristics of apoptosis, were observed to be concentration- and time -dependent. These findings suggest that growth inhibitions by gallic acid o f KATO III cells and COLO 205 cells result from the apoptosis induced by ga llic acid. Thus, gallic acid might be a candidate drug for digestive gut ca ncer treatment to overcome the resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs.