ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of transforming growth factor alpha (TGFalpha) on the expression of cyclin E and D1 in gastric carcinoma cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Human gastric adenocarcinoma SGC7901 cells were cultured routinely and synchronized at G(0)/G(1) phase in serum-free RPMI-1640. The percentage of the cells at G(0)/G(1) phase was detected by propidium iodide staining and flow cytometry (FCM), and the synchronized cells were cultured in RPMI-1640 supplemented with 2.5% calf serum and treated with 10, 30, and 50 microg/L TGFalpha for 5 h. The expression of cyclin E and D1 in SGC7901 cells was detected by immunofluorescent staining and FCM.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The percentage of the cells at G(0)/G(1) phase increased from 54% in routine culture to 72% in the serum-free RPMI-1640 culture. TGFalpha treatment of the cells synchronized at G(0)/G(1) phase induced significant increment of cyclin E and D1 expressions (P<0.001), and at the dose of TGFalpha of 50 microg/L, their expressions increased by 25.18% and 27.52%, respectively (P<0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>TGFalpha can increase the expression of cyclin E and D1 in gastric carcinoma cells to promote their cell cycle progress.</p>