ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the effect of modified Lichongtang combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of human hepatoma HepG2 cells. Method: The growth of HepG2 cells was detected by methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and the effect of Chinese medicine and 5-FU alone or combined use on the growth of HepG2 cells was analyzed by the principle of efficacy. The growth curves of HepG2 cells were plotted to determine the relationship between drug effect and combination index as well as the interaction between drugs. Scratch test was used to detect the effect of modified Lichongtang combined with 5-FU on the migration of HepG2 cells. Cell invasion assay (transwell chamber) was used to detect the effect of modified Lichongtang combined with 5-FU on the invasion ability of HepG2 cells. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect the effect of modified Lichongtang combined with 5-FU on EMT-related genes E-cadherin, N-cadherin and Zinc finger transcription factors (snail, twist) mRNA expression after 24 hours of treatment on HepG2 cells. The expression levels of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Snail and Vimentin in HepG2 cells were detected by Western blot after treatment by modified Lichongtang combined with 5-FU for 24 hours. Result: MTT assay showed that with the increase of drug concentration, the inhibitory effect of modified Lichongtang, 5-FU alone or combined use on HepG2 cell growth was also increased. Statistical analysis showed that the combined use of these two drugs at a low dosage could produce better synergistic effect on HepG2 cells after 24 hours of treatment. Therefore, modified Lichongtang and 5-FU were selected to treat HepG2 cells for 24 hours. 25%inhibitory concentration (IC25) was 800 mg·L-1 modified Lichongtang, 3.125 mg·L-15-FU. Blank group, 5-FU group, Lichongtang+5-FU group, and modified Lichongtang group were set for follow-up experiments. Scratch and invasion experiments showed that modified Lichongtang, 5-FU alone and combined use can inhibit HepG2 cell migration and invasion ability (PPPPPPPPPPConclusion: Modified Lichongtang combined with 5-FU can produce a better synergistic effect on HepG2 cells at a low dosage for 24 hours, and can significantly inhibit the migration and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells, up-regulate the expression of E-cadherin, down-regulate the expression of N-cadherin, Snail, Vimentin and Twist in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Inhibition of tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT-related gene expression may be associated with enhancing the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs, and may act as one of the mechanisms for synergistic effect of modified Lichongtang combined with 5-FU.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the effect of modified Lichongtang combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on tumor epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in H22 tumor-bearing mice. Method: Mouse models of transplanted hepatoma were constructed. After tumor formation, they were randomly divided into 4 groups:blank group, 5-FU group(2.5 mg·kg-1 5-FU intraperitoneal injection), modified Lichongtang combined with 5-FU group (5-FU+Chinese medicine group), and modified Lichongtang group (Chinese medicine group,25 g·kg-1 gavage),n=10 in each group. The effect of modified Lichongtang combined with 5-FU on the tumor inhibition rate of subcutaneous transplanted tumor was observed. The gene expression levels of E-cadherin,N-cadherin,Snail,and Twist in transplanted tumor were observed by Real-time PCR. The protein expression levels of E-cadherin,N-cadherin,Snail,and Vimentin were detected by using Western blot. Result: The tumor inhibiting rate was 59.18%,84.42%,and 10.39% respectively in 5-FU group, 5-FU+Chinese medicine group,and Chinese medicine group. All of these can inhibit the growth of liver cancer transplantation tumor, and the tumor inhibiting rate of 5-FU+Chinese medicine group was significantly higher than that in 5-FU group (PPPPPPPPPPPConclusion: Modified Lichongtang, 5-FU and their combination have inhibitory effect on the growth of transplanted tumors of hepatocarcinoma mice, and the combination of the two drugs can enhance the effect of chemotherapy and to some extent inhibit the toxicity of 5-FU. The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of liver cancer EMT.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture for treatment of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome and discuss its action mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty-seven cases were randomly divided into two groups. The acupuncture group (29 cases) was treated with acupuncture at Taichong (LR 3), Zusanli (ST 36) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) etc., once a day and 5 times per week. The medication group (28 cases) was treated with oral administration of pinaverium (50 mg each time, 3 times a day) and live combined bifidobacterium and lactobacillus tablet (4 tablets each time, 3 times a day). Four weeks were taken as a treatment course in both groups. Before and after treatment ELISA method was applied to measure the level of serum 5-HT of the patients in two groups. The scores of clinical symptoms were observed before treatment, after one and four weeks of treatment and 3 months after treatment, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The level of serum 5-HT was significantly reduced in the acupuncture group and medication group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), which had no statistical difference between two groups (P > 0.05). Compared with the medication group, the scores of clinical symptoms were obviously improved in the acupuncture group after one and four weeks of treatment and 3 months after treatment (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The total effective rate was 89.66% (26/29) in the acupuncture group, which was superior to 67.85% (19/28) in the medication group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The efficacy of acupuncture is superior to that of medicine in the treatment of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome. The acupuncture treatment could reduce the visceral sensitivity, improve the intestinal motility and regulate the imbalance of brain-intestine interactive function.</p>
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Male , Acupuncture Points , Acupuncture Therapy , Diarrhea , Blood , Therapeutics , Irritable Bowel Syndrome , Blood , Therapeutics , Serotonin , Blood , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of Soothing Gan and invigorating Pi (SGIP) acupuncture treatment on the clinical symptoms and quality of life (QOL) in patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>With a single-blinded randomized control study adopted, 63 patients who met the inclusion criteria were assigned by a random number table to two groups, 31 in the treatment group and 32 in the drug control group. The treatment group received SGIP acupuncture therapy; while the control group was treated orally with pinaverium bromide. The treatment duration of both groups was 28 days. The clinical efficacy was evaluated and compared by scoring patient's symptom and QOL.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A significant difference was found by variance analysis in efficacies between the two groups (P<0.01), shown as the quicker initiation of effect (P<0.05) and the more evident clinical improvement in symptoms along the increase in treatment duration, as well as the more significant elevation of QOL in the acupuncture treatment group (P<0.01). SGIP displayed its superiority especially in improving dysphoria, conflict behavior, dietary restrictions, and social responses.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SGIP acupuncture treatment could effectively alleviate the degree and frequency of symptoms' attack in IBS-D patients, such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, abdominal distension, etc., markedly relieve the tenesmic sensation, with the efficacy better than that of pinaverium bromide, showing a preponderance in improving patient's QOL.</p>