目的：探讨视黄酸对胃癌细胞生长和基因表达的影响。方法：以ＭＴＴ法测定细胞生长，软琼脂集落形成实验测定癌细胞恶性程度，Ｎｏｒｔｈｅｒｎｂｌｏｔ测定ｐ５３及ｃｍｙｃ基因表达水平。结果：１０－６ｍｏｌ／Ｌ全反式视黄酸（ＡＴＲＡ）能够有效地抑制ＭＧｃ８０３和ＢＧＣ８２３细胞生长，但不能抑制ＭＫＮ４５细胞生长；ＡＴＲＡ还能够降低３株胃癌细胞形成集落的能力。ＭＧｃ８０３和ＢＧＣ８２３细胞经ＡＴＲＡ诱导后，ｐ５３基因的表达水平提高，ｃｍｙｃ基因的表达水平下降，但ＭＫＮ４５细胞中ｐ５３基因和ｃｍｙｃ基因表达与ＡＴＲＡ诱导无关。视黄酸受体ＲＡＲα基因在３株细胞中呈低水平表达，经ＡＴＲＡ诱导后，在ＭＧｃ８０３和ＢＧＣ８２３细胞中表达水平提高，但在ＭＫＮ４５细胞中表达水平不变。结论：ＡＴＲＡ诱导ＲＡＲα高水平表达可能与视黄酸抑制胃癌细胞生长和调节ｐ５３和ｃｍｙｃ基因表达有关 Objective: To investigate the effect of retinoic acid on the growth and gene expression of gastric cancer cells. METHODS: Cell growth was measured by MTT assay, and the malignant degree of cancer cells was determined by soft agar colony formation assay. Northern blot was used to determine the expression levels of p53 and cmyc genes. RESULTS: 10-6 mol/L all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) could effectively inhibit the growth of MGc80  3 and BGC  823 cells, but could not inhibit the growth of MKN45 cells; ATRA could also reduce the ability of three gastric cancer cells to form colonies. After MGc803 and BGC823 cells were induced by ATRA, the expression of p53 gene was increased and the expression of cmyc gene was decreased. However, the expression of p53 gene and cmyc gene in MKN45 cells was not related to ATRA induction. The retinoic acid receptor RARα gene was expressed at low levels in 3 cells. After induced by ATRA, the expression level was increased in MGc80 3 and BGC823 cells, but the expression level was unchanged in MKN45 cells. Conclusion: ATRA-induced high expression of RARα may be related to retinoic acid inhibiting the growth of gastric cancer cells and regulating the expression of p53 and cmyc genes.