Figure 2.

Primary bile acid increases the expression levels of Egr-1 and oncogenes in human gastric cancer cells by modulating p42/44 MAPK signaling in human gastric cancer cells. To determine the signaling pathway by which CDCA induced the expression of oncogenes, 50 µM of p42/44 MAPK (PD98509) inhibitors were used. The expression level of Egr-1 was decreased by p42/44 MAPK inhibitors in (A) AGS and (B) NCI-N87. Egr-1 and p-p42/44MAPK protein expression levels were measured in (C) AGS and (D) NCI-N87 cells using western blotting. The expression of oncogenes were measured in (E) AGS and (F) NCI-N87 using quantitative reverse-transcription PCR. *P<0.05, **P<0.01 and ***P<0.001. Egr-1, early growth response factor 1; CDCA, chenodeoxycholic acid; p-, phosphorylated; t-, total.