ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE：To explore the therap eutic effects and its mech anism of Jianpi yiqi decoction on diethylnitrosamine （DEN）induced liver cancer model rats. METHODS ：Totally 80 male SD rats were divided into normal group ，model group ， Nod-like receptor family 3（NLRP3）inhibition group （MCC950，4.5 mg/kg），caspase-1 inhibitory group （VX-765，4.5 mg/kg）， Jianpi yiqi decoction low-dose ，medium-dose and high-dose groups （5.25，10.5，21 g/kg），with 10 rats in each group except for 20 rats in model group （10 of them were only used to judge whether modeling was successful ）. Rats in each group were intraperitoneally injected with DEN （70 mg/kg）to induce liver cancer model ，except for the rats in normal group which were replaced by normal saline. After modeling ，normal group and model group were given normal saline intragastrically ；inhibitor groups were given relevant medicine intraperitoneally ；Jianpi yiqi decoction groups were given relevant medicine intragastrically ， once a day ，for consecutive 4 weeks. After last administration ，histopathological morphology of liver tissue was observed. The contents of serum inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-1β were detected. The expression of NLRP3 and programmed cell necrosis associated protein （ASC，pro-caspase-1，RIP1，RIP3 and MLKL ）in liver tissue were detected. RESULTS ：Compared with the normal group ，the hepatocytes of model group showed varying， degrees of steatosis ，enlarged nuclei ，lumpy，bleeding and necrosis，accompanied by proliferative foci and nodules. Liver 198086， tissue injury index ，serum content of TNF-α and IL-1β as well as the protein expression of NLRP 3，ASC，pro-caspase-1，RIP1，RIP3 and MLKL in liver tissue were significantly increased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with model 防治。E-mail：sherwin_zhuo@126.com group，there were still a large number of inflammatory cell infiltration in the liver tissue of rats in Jianpi yiqi decoction low-dose and medium dose groups ，while the inflammatory cell infiltration of rats in high-dose group and inhibitor groups decreased significantly ；the liver tissue injury index and above indexes levels in serum and liver tissue were decreased significantly （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS ：Jianpi yiqi decoction shows therapeutic effect on liver cancer model rats ，the mechanism of which may be associated with down-regulating the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome and inhibiting programmed cell necrosis.
ABSTRACT
STAT3, a member of the signal transducer and activator of transcription family, is abnormally activated in chronic inflammation-related tumors including liver cancer. As a key signal molecule in the microenvironment of liver cancer and inflammation, STAT3 not only participates in the inflammation-cancer transformation during the development of liver cancer, but also promotes the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of hepatoma cells through many ways, and therefore, it may be a potential target for the treatment of liver cancer. This article reviews the recent advances in the association between STAT3 and liver cancer.