[Effects of extract solution of Aspergillus versicolor on human fetal gastric cells in vitro]

To detect the carcinogenicity of sterigmatocystin for human stomach, the human fetal gastric cells, cultured in vitro, were treated with extract solution of Aspergillus versicolor culture (0.117mg sterigmatocystin per Kg culture of Aspergillus versicolor). The cells showed random arrangement, loss of contact inhibition and cell polarity. Some transformed foci were present in different numbers and times according to the dosages of the extract solution. The cells with such changes were analysed with a flow cytometer and the results showed that the cell number in S phase of cell cycle distribution was greatly increased. The above changes were similar to those of the cells treated with MNNG, but no such changes were noted in the control group. These results indicated that sterigmatocystin could induce some characteristics of neoplastic transformed cells and that sterigmatocystin may be a carcinogen for human gastric cancer.