ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE To study the inhibitory effect and mechanism of total flavonoids from Melicope pteleifolia （TF-MPL） on transplanted tumor of colorectal cancer in nude mice. METHODS The transplanted tumor model of colorectal cancer was induced by injecting 0.2 mL colorectal cancer cell LoVo subcutaneously via the right armpit of nude mice. After successful modeling， nude mice were randomly divided into model group， 5-fluorouracil group （positive control， 10 mg/kg）， TF-MPL high- dose and low-dose groups （25， 12.5 mg/kg）； a normal group （normal saline containing 0.3% carboxymethyl cellulose sodium） without modeling was additionally set up， with 6 mice in each group. Each group was intraperitoneally injected with the corresponding drug solution/solvent for 21 consecutive days. The inhibitory rate of the transplanted tumor， liver and spleen index， and the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in serum were detected after the last medication； the morphological changes of tumor tissue were observed； immunohistochemical staining was used to detect protein expressions of Toll- like receptor 4 （TLR4） and nuclear factor-κB subunit p65 （NF-κB p65） in tumor tissue of nude mice. Western blot assay was used to detect protein expressions of TLR4， myeloid differentiation factor 88 （MyD88）， TNF receptor-associated factor 6 （TRAF6）， interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 1 （IRAK-1）， NF-κB p65 and caspase-3 in tumor tissue of nude mice. RESULTS Compared with the model group， TF-MPL high-dose group showed a significant decrease in tumor weight （inhibitory rate of 36.91%）， liver and spleen index， serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 and protein expressions of TLR4， MyD88， TRAF6，IRAK-1 and NF- κB p65 （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； the expression of caspase-3 protein was increased significantly （P＜0.05）， and more tumor cell shrinkage and deformation， nuclear pyknosis and fragmentation were observed. CONCLUSIONS TF-MPL can significantly inhibit the growth of transplanted tumor of colorectal cancer in nude mice， the mechanism of which may be associated with reducing inflammatory response， inhibiting TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway， and promoting apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect and mechanism of anwulignan on improving hepatic fibrosis in rats. METHODS Fifty SD rats were randomly divided into the normal group， model group， colchicine tablet group （0.1 mg/kg）， and anwulignan high-dose and low-dose groups （2.8 and 0.7 mg/kg）， with 10 rats in each group. Except for the normal group， all groups of rats were intraperitoneally injected with 50% CCl4 olive oil mixed solution to replicate the rat model of liver fibrosis. At the end of the modeling， rats in each group were given the corresponding drugs or distilled water intragastrically from the 9th week， once a day， for 4 weeks consecutively. During the experimental period， the general condition of the rats was observed； the liver index was calculated； the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， superoxide dismutase （SOD） and malondialdehyde （MDA） were detected by colorimetric assay； the pathomorphology of the liver tissues and liver fibrosis were observed by HE staining and Masson staining； Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） pathway and apoptosis-related proteins in liver tissues. RESULTS Compared with the normal group， the dietary amount of rats in the model group decreased， with sparse and disheveled fur， slow response， and a slower rate of weight growth or weight loss； the liver index was significantly increased （P＜0.01）； the serum levels of ALT， AST and MDA were significantly increased， and the SOD level was significantly decreased （P＜0.01）； HE and Masson staining showed that a large amount of fibrous proliferation was present in the liver tissues of the rats， and the collagen volume fraction was significantly increased （P＜0.01）； the protein expressions of PI3K， Akt， phosphorylated Akt and B-cell lymphoma （Bcl-2） were down-regulated significantly， while the protein expression of Bcl-2-associated X protein was increased significantly （P＜0.01）. Compared with the model group， the above indexes of the anwulignan high-dose and low-dose groups and the colchicine tablets group were all reversed significantly. CONCLUSIONS Anwulignan may reduce oxidative stress and inhibit hepatocyte apoptosis by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway， and play the role of anti-hepatic fibrosis.