The Effects Of Fentanyl On Biological Characteristics Of Human Gastric Carcinoma MGC-803 Cells

Cancer has the highest mortality and cancer pain may decrease the life quality and make patients with terminal cancer uncomfortable. There are many techniques for cancer therapy, and fentanyl is a common used analgesic to treat cancer pain. However, the fentanyl-tumor interaction is very complex and how fentanyl influences tumor growth and migration is far from being fully understood.Objective : To observe the effects of fentanyl on biological characteristics of human gastric carcinoma cell line MGC-803 and to guide the clinical use of fentanyl as an analgesic to treat pain in patients with cancer.Methods:Human gastric carcinoma MGC-803 cells were divided into four groups: 0.0001μmol/L fentanyl group, 0.01μmol/L fentanyl group, 1μmol/L fentanyl group and control group. MGC-803 cells were cultured to logarithmic phase. The cells in fentanyl groups were incubated with 0.0001μmol/L,0.01μmol/L or 1μmol/L fentanyl and the control cells were incubated with sterile water. The ultrastructure of MGC-803 cells was observed by transmission electron microscope. The viability and proliferation of cells were determined by MTT assay and colony formation assay. The cell cycle progression and apoptosis were assesed by flow cytometry. The wound healing assay was used to detect the migration activity of MGC-803 cells.Results:0.0001μmol/L, 0.01μmol/L or 1μmol/L fentanyl resulted in morphological changes of gastric cancer MGC-803 cells such as cellular swelling and chromatin margination. The apoptotic bodies in fentanyl groups were more than those in control group, as observed by scanning electron microscopy. The growth and proliferation of MGC-803 cells were inhibited after fentanyl applied and the mean proliferation rates of MGC-803 cells in 0.0001μmol/L fentanyl group, 0.01μmol/L fentanyl group or 1μmol/L fentanyl group were (54.37±9.89) %,(51.83±10.33) % or (58.84±11.31) %, which were lower than the control cells (P<0.05). Clones of gastric carcinoma cell line MGC-803 in 0.0001μmol/L fentanyl group,0.01μmol/L fentanyl group or 1μmol/L fentanyl group were (6.92±1.59) %, (4.61±1.17) % or (6.73±1.33) %, which were fewer than those in control group (P<0.05). In fentanyl groups, the proportion of MGC-803 cells in G2/M phase was higher and the proportion of cells in S phase was lower than that in control group (P<0.05). The apoptotic rates of MGC-803 cells in 0.0001μmol/L fentanyl group,0.01μmol/L fentanyl group or 1μmol/L fentanyl group were (18.11±2.88) %,(26.23±3.15) % or (25.75±2.77) %, which were higher than that in control cells (P<0.05). The relative migrations of MGC-803 cells which were incubated with 0.0001μmol/L , 0.01μmol/L or 1μmol/L fentanyl after 48 h were (70.41±6.86) %,(62.52±4.95) % or (66.8±6.05) %, which were less than that of control cells (P<0.05).Conclusions:Fentanyl can effectively inhibit growth and proliferation of gastric cancer MGC-803 cells and make cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase. Fentanyl can induce apoptosis and reduce migration of MGC-803 cells.