Ponciri Fructus Immatarus Sensitizes the Apoptotic Effect of Hyperthermia Treatment in AGS Gastric Cancer Cells through ROS-Dependent HSP Suppression

Gastric cancer has been associated with a high incidence and mortality, accompanied by a poor prognosis. Given the limited therapeutic options to treat gastric cancer, alternative treatments need to be urgently developed. Hyperthermia therapy is a potentially effective and safe treatment option for cancer; however, certain limitations need to be addressed. We applied 43 degrees C hyperthermia to AGS gastric cancer cells combined with Ponciri Fructus Immaturus (PF) to establish their synergistic effects. Co-treatment with PF and hyperthermia synergistically suppressed AGS cell proliferation by inducing extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways. Additionally, PF and hyperthermia suppressed factors related to metastasis. Cell cycle arrest was determined by flow cytometry, revealing that co-treatment induced arrest at the G2/M phase. As reactive oxygen species (ROS) are critical in hyperthermia therapy, we next examined changes in ROS generation. Co-treatment with PF and hyperthermia increased ROS levels, and apoptotic induction mediated by this combination was partially dependent on ROS generation. Furthermore, heat shock factor 1 and heat shock proteins (HSPs) were notably suppressed following co-treatment with PF and hyperthermia. The HSP-regulating effect was also dependent on ROS generation. Overall, these findings suggest that co-treatment with PF and hyperthermia could afford a promising anticancer therapy for gastric cancer.

Automated summary

Gastric cancer has a high incidence and mortality rate with poor prognosis. Hyperthermia therapy combined with Ponciri Fructus Immaturus (PF) showed synergistic effects in suppressing AGS gastric cancer cell proliferation, inducing cell cycle arrest, and inhibiting metastasis-related factors. The combination treatment also increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and suppressed heat shock factor 1 and heat shock proteins (HSPs), suggesting a potential promising therapy for gastric cancer.