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Objective::To observe the synergistic effect and mechanism of Yiqi Jianpi Huayu (YQJPHY) recipe combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on inhibiting gastric cancer growth, and investigate its possible mechanism through polarization direction of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in tumor micro-environment. Method::A total of forty 615 mice were randomly divided into four groups including control group, YQJPHY(25 g·kg-1) group, 5-FU (25 mg·kg-1) group and combined group (YQJPHY plus 5-FU), with 10 mice in each group. The gastric cancer transplantation model was induced by axillary inoculation of MFC gastric cancer cells. Changes in tumor pathology were observed with hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE) method. The contents of M1 and M2 TAMs in tumor tissues were determined with flow cytometry, while the expression of CD206 in tumor was observed with immunohistochemistry. The mRNA expressions of TAM-related genes including interleukin-1β(IL-1β), interleukin-12(IL-12), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), arginase-1(Arg1), and chitinase 3-like 3(Ym1) were detected by using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR). Furthermore, the mRNA and protein expressions of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) related epithelial calcium adhesion protein(E-cadherin), nervous calcium adhesion protein(N-cadherin), Zinc finger transcription factor Slug, Snail and Waveform protein (Vimentin) were detected with Real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively. Result::The gastric cancer cells in tumors were distributed in nest and/or flaky shape, with fibroblastic connective tissue reaction and inflammatory cells infiltrated in interstitium. Coagulative necrosis of tumor was observed in various treatment groups. The amount of residual cancer cells in mouse was as follows from largest to smallest: control group>YQJPHY group>5-FU group>combined group. Immunohistochemical studies showed that all treatment groups can reduce the expression of CD206 in the tumor, and the effect was most obvious in the combined group. The contents of M2-TAM in all treatment groups were lower than those in control group(P<0.05, P<0.01), and the most significant difference in the content of M2-TAMs was shown between the control group and the combined group. The contents of M1 TAMs were increased in YQJPHY and combined groups(P<0.05, P<0.01), with the largest incremental range in YQJPHY group. The expressions of Arg1 and Ym1 in YQJPHY and combined groups were lower, while IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-12 levels were higher than those in control group(P<0.05). The mRNA expressions of IL-1β, IL-12 and TNF-α in the combined group were significantly higher, while Arg1 and Ym1 mRNA expression levels were lower than those in the 5-FU group(P<0.05). As compared with the control group, the mRNA and protein expression levels of E-cadherin were up-regulated(P<0.05), while the mRNA expression levels of N-cadherin and Vimentin were down-regulation in the YQJPHY group (P<0.05), E-cadherin mRNA and protein expression levels were up-regulated, while N-cadherin, Slug, Snail, Vimentin mRNA expression as well as N-cadherin and Slug protein expression levels were down-regulated in the combined group(P<0.05). As compared with the 5-FU group, the mRNA and protein expression levels of E-cadherin were up-regulated(P<0.05), while the mRNA and protein expression levels of N-cadherin, Slug and Vimentin were down-regulated in the combined group(P<0.05). Conclusion::YQJPHY has an inhibitory effect on the growth of gastric cancer, and after being combined with 5-FU, it has a good synergistic effect on inhibiting the growth of gastric cancer and decreasing EMT. The mechanism may be related to promoting the conversion from M2-TAMs to M1-TAMs in gastric tumor micro-environment.
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Objective:To investigate the mechanism of Jianpi Yangzheng recipe in inhibiting aerobic glycolysis by down-regulating the expression of pyruvate kinase isoenzyme M2 (PKM2) protein, in order to promote apoptosis and inhibite epithelial-mesenchymal transition（EMT）in HCT116 cells of colorectal cancer. Method:The effect of different concentrations of Jianpi Yangzheng recipe on HCT116 cell proliferation was detected by methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide（MTT）colorimetry. Flow cytometry was used to detect the effect of different concentrations of Jianpi Yangzheng recipe（2.0, 4.0, 8.0 g·L-1） on HCT116 cell apoptosis. The effect of Jianpi Yangzheng recipe（2.0, 4.0, 8.0 g·L-1） on the migration and invasion ability of HCT116 cells was observed by cell scratch and cell invasion assay (Transwell). The effect of different concentrations of Jianpi Yangzheng recipe（2.0, 4.0, 8.0 g·L-1） on glycolysis metabolism of HCT116 cells were detected by lactic acid (LD) test kit and glucose assay kit, respectively. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of apoptosis-related proteins, like B lymphocyte tumor-2 gene (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 related X protein (Bax) and EMT-related proteins, like epithelial cadherin (E-cadherin)，neurogenic cadherin（N-cadherin）, Vimentin, and PKM2, the key protein of glycolysis, in each group. Result:MTT assay showed that, compared with the blank group, HCT116 cells were treated with Jianpi Yangzheng recipe for 48 h. With the increase of drug concentration, the inhibitory effect of Jianpi Yangzheng recipe on the proliferation of HCT116 cells was also increased; and when the concentration was 4.0 g·L-1, the inhibition rate of HCT116 cells was about 53.87%. Therefore, 2.0，4.0，8.0 g·L-1 were selected as low, medium and high-dose groups for the study. The cell flow cytometry results indicated that, compared with the blank group, the low, medium and high-dose groups all significantly induced the apoptosis of HCT116 cells (P<0.05), and the effect in inducing apoptosis was more obvious with the increase of drug concentration (P<0.05). Cell scratch and Transwell showed that, compared with the blank group, all the groups had an inhibitory effect on migration and invasion of HCT116 cells (P<0.05), and the effect was more significant with the increase of drug concentration (P<0.05). The determination of lactic acid and glucose indicated that compared with the blank group, with the increase of drug concentration, the amount of lactic acid produced by cells in each group gradually decreased (P<0.05), while the glucose dosage also gradually decreased (P<0.05). Western blot showed that, compared with the blank group, the protein expressions of E-cadherin and Bax were up-regulated in groups with different concentrations, whereas the protein expressions of N-cadherin, Vimentin, Bcl-2 and PKM2 were down-regulated (P<0.05). Conclusion:Jianpi Yangzheng recipe can effectively induce the apoptosis of HCT116 cells and inhibit EMT in colorectal cancer. The possible mechanism may be related to the inhibition of aerobic glycolysis pathway of HCT116 cells by down-regulating PKM2 protein expression.
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Objective:To observe the effect of Jianpi Shugan decoction combined with acupuncture on the clinical symptoms of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) with liver depression and spleen deficiency and the intestinal flora. Method:Seventy patients with IBS-D with liver depression and spleen deficiency were randomly divided into two groups by the random number table. The treatment group was given Jianpi Shugan decoction combined with acupuncture for 4 weeks, the control group was treated with Pivavironium bromide for 4 weeks, and 30 healthy people were used as healthy control. The total effective rate, IBS bowel symptom severity scale (IBS-BSS), IBS quality of life questionnaire (IBS-QOL) and traditional Chinese medicine pattern curative effect scoring system (TCM-PES) were evaluated. The counts of Bacillus bifidus, B.acidi lactici, Enterobacteria, and Bacteroides in feces and the colonization resistance (CR) were observed by Real-time PCR. Result:The IBS-SSS scale showed that the TCM treatment group could reduce the scores at the 4th, 8th, and 12th weeks (Pth and 8th weeks (Pth week scores of TCM treatment group were better than that of control group (PPth, 8th, and 12th weeks, and the control group increased the scores at the 4th week (PPB.bifidus and B.acidi lactici increased after 4 weeks of TCM treatment, and the count of Enterobacteria decreased (PB. bifidus increased, while Enterobacteria decreased in the TCM treatment group (PBacteroides after treatment in each group. Conclusion:Jianpi Shugan decoction combined with acupuncture has a reliable curative effect on IBS-D patients with liver depression and spleen deficiency. The mechanism may be related to the regulation of intestinal flora imbalance.
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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.
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Objective:To discuss the effect of Yiqi Jianpi Huayu recipe (YQJPHY) combined with 5-fluorouracil(5-FU) on the growth and immune function of subcutaneous transplanted tumor in MFC tumor bearing 615 mice. Method:Twenty-four mice were inoculated subcutaneously to establish the transplanted tumor model of gastric cancer in mice, and then randomly divided into model control group, YQJPHY (20 g·kg-1)group, 5-FU (25 mg·kg-1) group and (YQJPHY+5-FU) combined group, with 6 rats in each group. After the last administration, the transplanted tumor, spleen and thymus were stripped completely. The tumor inhibition rate, thymus and spleen index were calculated. Flow cytometry was used to determine the content of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and its subtype polykaryotype cells (PMN-MDSC), single karyotype cells (M-MDSC) in both peripheral blood and tumor tissue, and macrophages and their M1 type, M2 type, T lymphocyte, B lymphocyte, and natural killer cells (NK cells) in peripheral blood. Expressions of arginase-1(Arg-1) and inducible nitric oxide synthesis (iNOS) gene in tumor tissues were detected by Real-time PCR. Result:Compared with model control group, the weight of mice in YQJPHY group increased, whereas the weight of tumor, the weight of tumor, the index of thymus and spleen decreased in 5-FU group(PPPPPPPP+,CD4+,CD8+ T cell group decreased(PPPPPPConclusion:YQJPHY can better inhibit the growth of subcutaneous transplanted tumor when combined with 5-FU, and improve immune status after chemotherapy. The mechanism may be related to the decrease of MDSCs content and the increase of T cell and macrophages content.
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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 observe the effect of Jianpi Yangzheng Xiaozheng Recipe (JYXR) on the tumor inhibition rate of subcutaneous transplanted tumor gastric cancer cell line MGC-803 in BALB/c nude mice, and to study its molecular mechanism of apoptosis and autophagy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Gastric cancer cell line MGC-803 was subcutaneously inoculated to nude mice for preparing transplanted gastric cancer models. Totally 32 BALB/c nude mice were randomly divided into 4 groups according to random digit table, i.e., the negative control group, the positive control group, the high dose JYXR group, the low dose JYXR group, 8 in each group. Normal saline was administered to mice in the negative control group by gastrogavage. 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) at 2. 5 mg/kg was administered to mice in the positive control group by gastrogavage. JYXR at 85 and 43 g/kg was administered to mice in the high dose JYXR group and the low dose JYXR group by gastrogavage, once per day for 10 successive days. The effect of JYXR on the tumor inhibition rate of subcutaneous transplanted tumor was observed. Effects of JYXR on gene expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2, Fas, Cyclin D1, Cyclin D2, and Cyclin D3 in transplanted tumor were observed by real-time PCR. Effects of JYXR on protein expression levels of Procaspase-3, Procaspase-8, Procaspase-9, cleaved-PARP, Beclin-1, and LC3B were detected using Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) Compared with the negative control group, the tumor weight was obviously reduced in the rest three groups (P <0. 05). The tumor weight was higher in the high dose JYXR group and the low dose JYXR group than in the positive control group (P <0. 05). (2) Results of RT-PCR indicated that, compared with the negative control group, expression levels of Bax were up-regulated, but expression levels of Bcl-2, Cyclin D1, Cyclin D2, and Cyclin D3 were down-regulated in the positive control group and JYXR groups (P <0. 05). The expression level of Fas was up-regulated in the positive control group and the high dose JYXR group (P <0. 05). Compared with the positive control group, expression levels of Fas, and Bax were all down-regulated, but expression levels of Bcl-2, Cyclin D2, and Cyclin D3 were all up-regulated in the high dose JYXR group and the low dose JYXR group (all P <0. 05). The expression level of Cyclin D1 was down-regulated in the high dose JYXR group, but it was up-regulated in the low dose JYXR group ( both P <0. 05). (3) Results of Western blot showed, compared with the negative control group, expression levels of Procaspase-3, Procaspase-8, and Procaspase-9 were down-regulated, but expression levels of cleaved-PARP, Beclin-1, and LC3B II were up-regulated in the high dose JYXR group and the low dose JYXR group (all P <0.05). Compared with the negative control group, expression levels of Procaspase-3, Procaspase-8, Procaspase-9, and LC3B II were down-regulated, but expression levels of cleaved-PARP, Beclin-1, and LC3B I were up-regulated in the positive control group (all P <0. 05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>JYXR showed significant inhibition on subcutaneous transplanted tumor gastric cancer cell line MGC-803 in BALB/c nude mice. Its mechanism might be associated with activating apoptosis and autophagy correlated factors.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Mice , Antineoplastic Agents , Pharmacology , Therapeutic Uses , Apoptosis , Autophagy , Caspase 3 , Metabolism , Caspase 8 , Metabolism , Caspase 9 , Metabolism , Cell Line, Tumor , Chemistry, Pharmaceutical , Methods , Reference Standards , Cyclin D1 , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Pharmacology , Therapeutic Uses , Fluorouracil , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Mice, Nude , Neoplasm Transplantation , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 , Metabolism , Stomach NeoplasmsABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of Tounongsan () extract (TNSE) on proliferation and apoptosis of the human lymphoma cell line Raji and its possible mechanism of action.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The viability of TNSE-treated Raji cells was measured by a 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry. The molecular mechanisms of TNSE-mediated apoptosis were further investigated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of the mRNA expression of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), Bcl-xL, Bcl-2-associated death promoter (Bad), caspase-9 and caspase-3. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expressions of NF-κB, Bad, cleaved caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-3.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>TNSE inhibited Raji cell proliferation in dose- and time-dependent manners. After 48-h treatment with various concentrations of TNSE (125, 250 and 500 μg/mL), the apoptosis rates of Raji cell were 12.23%±1.98% (P<0.05), 20.97%±3.96% (P<0.01) and 30.4%±4.87% (P<0.01), respectively, compared with those of the control (6.02%±1.01%). RT-PCR demonstrated that NF-κB mRNA expression was significantly downregulated in Raji cells treated with 250 μg/mL TNSE for 48 h (P<0.05), while Bad, caspase-9 and caspase-3 mRNA levels were upregulated (P<0.05). Moreover, TNSE treatment resulted in downregulation of NF-κB protein expression and strikingly upregulated protein expressions of Bad, cleaved caspase-9, cleaved caspase-3 in a dose-dependent manner, as determined by Western blot.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>TNSE exhibits significant anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects in Raji cells, which may be involved in regulation of NF-κB and Bad, and activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3.</p>