• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.394-399
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• 2003

The in vitro cytotoxic effects of newly synthesized copper (II) glycinate complex were investigated in two gastric cancer cell lines of SNU484 and SNU638 cells. The complex inhibited the growth and decreased the viability of both gastric cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. Gastric cancer tells treated with the complex exhibited the features of apoptosis, as demonstrated by fragmentation of chromosomal DNA, activation of caspase-3-like enzyme, and cleavage of poly［ADP-ribose］ polymerase (PARP). With the treatment of copper (II) glycinate complex, the active form of caspase-3 was observed in SNU484 cells, but not in SNU638 cells, indicating that an alternative pathway of apoptosis might have been triggered in SNU638 cells. In conclusion, copper (II) glycinate complex induces apoptosis of SNU484 and SNU638 gastric cancer cells, and it is suggested that novel copper (II) glycinate complex is highly active against human gastric cancer cells.