ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo study the effect of Xianlian Jiedu prescription （XLJDP） on the activation of nuclear transcription factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway induced by bromodomain-containing protein 4 （Brd4） in hypoxic microenvironment and to explore its mechanism in inhibiting the proliferation of colorectal cancer HT-29 cells. MethodThe human colorectal cancer HT-29 cells were cultured in a hypoxic incubator or normoxia incubator and treated with XLJDP at 0.8，1，1.2，1.6，3.2，6.4，and 12.8 g·L-1 for 48 h， respectively. Following the detection of cell vitality using methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium （MTT） colorimetry， the effects of XLJDP （1.25，2.5，and 5 g·L-1） on the cell mitochondrial membrane potential were determined using a fluorescent probe （JC-1）， and the apoptosis of colorectal cancer HT-29 cells was detected by flow cytometry. The cell colony formation assay and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine （EDU） staining were conducted to test the proliferation of colorectal cancer HT-29 cells. The Western blot was carried out to measure the expression levels of Brd4 and its downstream relevant proteins such as c-Myc and hexamethylene bisacetamide-inducible protein 1 （HEXIM1）， as well as the effects of XLJDP on related proteins in the NF-κB signaling pathway. ResultCompared with the blank control group， XLJDP at 0.8，1，1.2，1.6，3.2，6.4，and 12.8 g·L-1 inhibited the vitality of colorectal cancer HT-29 cells （P<0.05 ， P<0.01）， with the median inhibitory concentration （IC50） under the hypoxic condition higher than that under the normoxia condition. Compared with the blank control group， XLJDP at 1.25，2.5，and 5 g·L-1 significantly decreased the mitochondria membrane potential， enhanced the apoptosis （P<0.05，P<0.01）， and lowered the number of cell colonies and also the EDU-positive cells （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The results of Western blot showed that compared with the blank control group， XLJDP at 1.25，2.5，and 5 g·L-1 down-regulated Brd4， c-Myc， p-NF-κB p65， and p-IκBα protein expression to varying degrees and up-regulated the expression of HEXIM1 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionIn the hypoxic microenvironment， XLJDP inhibits the proliferation of colorectal cancer HT-29 cells regulated by Brd4， which may be related to its inhibition of the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway.
ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo explore the effect of Xianlian Jiedu prescription （XLJDP） on the proliferation and glycolysis of human colorectal cancer HCT-116 cells and the underlying mechanism. MethodHCT-116 cells were cultured with XLJDP and then the survival rate was examined by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium （MTT） assay. The effect on the HCT116 cell proliferation was detected by colony formation assay and 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine （EDU） incorporation assay. The amount of glucose consumed by HCT-116 cells was measured by glucose test kit， and the amount of produced lactic acid was determined by lactic acid test kit 48 h after the treatment with XLJDP. The expression of glycolysis-related proteins mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）， phosphorylated mTOR （p-mTOR）， glucose transporter 1 （GLUT1）， and lactate dehydrogenase （LDHA） was detected by Western blot. ResultThe half-maximal inhibitory concentration （IC50） of XLJDP against HCT-116 cells was 6.82 g·L-1. Compared with the blank group， XLJDP （1.625， 3.25， 6.50 g·L-1） inhibited the proliferation of HCT-116 cells （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， compared with the blank group， XLJDP （1.625， 3.25， 6.50 g·L-1） suppressed glucose uptake and lactic acid production in a dose-dependent manner （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The expression of p-mTOR/mTOR， LDHA， and GLUT1 was down-regulated by XLJDP （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionXLJDP can significantly inhibit the proliferation and the Warburg effect of glycolysis in colorectal cancer cells by regulating the mTOR signaling pathway and the down-regulating the expression of LDHA， GLUT1， and other key proteins and enzymes in glycolysis.
ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo analyze the transcriptome characteristics of Xianlian Jiedu prescription （XLJDP） in the intervention of colorectal carcinoma by high-throughput cDNA-sequencing （RNA-seq）. MethodNinety male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into the control group， colorectal carcinoma due to dampness， heat， stasis， and toxin model group， and XLJDP group， with 30 mice in each group. Mice in the model group and XLJDP group were fed a high-fat diet and provided with azoxymethane and dextran sodium sulfate （AOM/DSS） for inducing colorectal carcinoma. Those in the XLJDP group were further treated with intragastric administration of 12.9 g·kg-1 XLJDP since the day of modeling for 112 days. The colorectal tissues were collected from each group 4 h after the last drug treatment and stained with hematoxylin-eosin （HE） and methylene blue for observing the pathological changes. The total RNA was extracted from colorectal tissues for RNA-Seq-based transcriptome profiling， followed by gene oncology （GO） and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes （KEGG） pathway enrichment analysis and the screening and verification of differentially expressed genes. ResultCompared with the model group， XLJDP significantly relieved the colorectal congestion and edema and decreased tumor number and volume in mouse colorectal tissues. The methylene blue staining results indicated that XLJDP significantly suppressed the development of aberrant crypt foci （ACF，P<0.01）. As revealed by HE staining， XLJDP significantly alleviated the injury and dysplasia of colorectal tissues. Transcriptome analysis identified 615 differentially expressed genes （446 up-regulated and 169 down-regulated） between the model group and the blank group and 54 differentially expressed genes （29 up-regulated and 25 down-regulated） between the XLJDP group and model group. XLJDP mainly affected the expression of NIMA-related protein kinase 7 gene （Nek7， P<0.01）， Mucin 16 （Muc16， P<0.01）， SiahE3 ubiquitin protein ligase family member 3 （Siah3， P<0.01）， regenerating islet-derived protein 3-gamma （Reg3g， P<0.01）， RNA polymerase Ⅱ elongation factor-associated factor 2 （Eaf2， P<0.01）， transforming growth factor‐alfa gene （TGF-α， P<0.05）， secretoglobin family 1A member 1 （Scgb1a1， P<0.05）， family with sequence similarity 227 member B （Fam227B， P<0.05）， cytochrome P450 family 2 subfamily c polypeptide 40 （Cyp2c40， P<0.01）， and ankyrin repeat and EF-hand domain containing protein 1 （Ankef1， P<0.05）. Enrichment analysis showed that intestinal epithelial cell proliferation， metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome P450， and arachidonic acid metabolism signaling pathway were significantly enriched. ConclusionXLJDP is able to interfere with colorectal tumorigenesis and development due to dampness， heat， stasis， and toxin in mice， which has been proved by transcriptome analysis to be related to the regulation of metabolism-related pathways.