Further, immunofluorescence assay also confirmed that Nrf2 translocated to nucleus after exposed to propofol. Recent data has revealed the other side of Nrf2. SB-715992 Nrf2 over-expressed in many types of human cancer, giving cancer cells an advantage for survival and growth. Further studies show

various genetic abnormalities of the Nrf2 repressor, Keap1, in several cancer cell lines and tumor tissues, including GC. Our previous studies also demonstrated that Nrf2 was up-regulated in GC tissues and high expression of Nrf2 related to poorer survival [18]. Thus, we next evaluated the role of activation of Nrf2 by FK228 in vitro propofol in its effect on behavior of human GC cells. Through knockdown of expression of Nrf2 by shRNA, the effect of propofol on proliferation and apoptosis were reversed. One important limitation of our study is short of in vivo studies. There are also confused results about effect of propofol on immune response and metastasis in vivo experiments [12–14]. It would be interesting and important to clear the exact effect of propofol on GC in animal model and clinic. These will be further selleck chemicals explored in future

studies. In conclusion, this study provides new insights into effect of propofol on behavior of GC cells and the related mechanism. Our present study suggests that propofol induces proliferation and promotes invasion of GC cells through, at least partly, activation of Nrf2. It might therefore be speculated that propofol might not be the appropriate anaesthetic drug in the surgery of GC patients. However, this should be verified in further studies, including animal trials and prospective clinical studies. References 1. Marik PE: Propofol: therapeutic indications and side-effects. Curr Pharm Des 2004, 10:3639–3649.PubMedCrossRef 2. Vasileiou I, Xanthos T, Koudouna E, Perrea D, Klonaris C, Katsargyris A, Papadimitriou L: Propofol: a review of its non-anaesthetic effects. Eur J Pharmacol 2009, 605:1–8.PubMedCrossRef 3. Wang HH, Zhou HY, Chen CC, Zhang XL, Cheng G: Propofol attenuation of renal ischemia/reperfusion injury involves heme oxygenase-1. Acta

Pharmacol Sin 2007, 28:1175–1180.PubMedCrossRef 4. Xu JJ, Wang YL: Propofol attenuation of hydrogen peroxide-mediated oxidative Avelestat (AZD9668) stress and apoptosis in cultured cardiomyocytes involves haeme oxygenase-1. Eur J Anaesthesiol 2008, 25:395–402.PubMedCrossRef 5. Hoetzel A, Schmidt R: Regulatory role of anesthetics on heme oxygenase-1. Curr Drug Targets 2010, 11:1495–1503.PubMedCrossRef 6. Liang C, Xue Z, Wang H, Li P: Propofol upregulates heme oxygenase-1 through activation of ERKs in human umbilical vein endothelial cells under oxidative stress conditions. J Neurosurg Anesthesiol 2011, 23:229–235.PubMedCrossRef 7. Jozkowicz A, Was H, Dulak J: Heme oxygenase-1 in tumors: is it a false friend? Antioxid Redox Signal 2007, 9:2099–2117.PubMedCrossRef 8. Was H, Dulak J, Jozkowicz A: Heme oxygenase-1 in tumor biology and therapy. Curr Drug Targets 2010, 11:1551–1570.