ABSTRACT
<p><b>Objective</b>To investigate the effect of Qilan Capsules (QLC) on the expressions of the related proteins HIF-1α, VEGF-α, EphA2 and MMP-1 in the formation of vasculogenic mimicry (VM) in prostate cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Prostate cancer PC-3 cells were cultured, transfected with siRNA, and divided into eight groups, blank control, HIF-1α siRNA, VEGF-α siRNA, EphA2 siRNA, QLC intervention, QLC + HIF-1α siRNA, QLC + VEGF-α siRNA, and QLC + EphA2 siRNA. The expressions of the HIF-1α, VEGF-α and EphA2 proteins in the pathway of VEGF were determined by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the blank control group, the expression of HIF-1α was evidently decreased in the HIF-lα siRNA and QLC + HIF-lα siRNA groups (0.624 7 ± 0.042 8 vs 0.032 8 ± 0.002 5 and 0.036 8 ± 0.018 1, P < 0.05), so were that of VEGF-α in the VEGF-α siRNA and QLC + VEGF-α siRNA groups (0.068 9 ± 0.005 1 vs 0.016 9 ± 0.000 7 and 0.010 9 ± 0.000 8, P < 0.05), that of EphA2 in the EphA2 siRNA and QLC + EphA2 siRNA groups though with no statistically significant difference (0.1684 ± 0.0126 vs 0.134 5 ± 0.028 6 and 0.165 4 ± 0.039 8, P > 0.05), and that of MMP-1 in the HIF-lα siRNA, VEGF-α siRNA and EphA2 siRNA groups (1.696 1 ± 0.152 7 vs 0.435 9 ± 0.036 9, 0.198 7 ± 0.009 0 and 0.0218 ± 0.000 7, P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Qilan Capsules can suppress VM formation in prostate cancer by inhibiting the expressions of HIF-1α, VEGF-α and MMP-1, which plays a role in the clinical treatment of prostate cancer by checking the growth and development of the blood supply system in the tumor tissue.</p>
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Capsules , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Pharmacology , Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit , Metabolism , Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 , Metabolism , Molecular Mimicry , Prostatic Neoplasms , Metabolism , RNA, Small Interfering , Metabolism , Receptor, EphA2 , Metabolism , Transfection , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A , MetabolismABSTRACT
Objective@#To observe the synergistic effect of Qilan Capsules in the treatment of the patient with Qi-deficiency blood-stasis type of prostate cancer receiving androgen-deprivation therapy after castration.@*METHODS@#This randomized controlled double-blind study included 246 cases of Qi-deficiency blood-stasis type of prostate cancer after castration, which were randomly divided into an experiment and a control group of equal number to be treated with Qilan Capsules + androgen-deprivation and placebo + androgen-deprivation, respectively. After 6 months of treatment, we compared the International Prostate Symptoms Scores (IPSS), TCM Symptoms Scores (TCMSS), maximal urine flow rate (Qmax), and the level of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) between the two groups of patients.@*RESULTS@#Statistically significant differences were observed between the experiment and control groups in the syndrome classification-based efficacy (87.7% vs 67.9%, P 0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Qilan Capsules can significantly enhance the effect of androgen-deprivation therapy in the treatment of Qi-deficiency blood-stasis type of prostate cancer after castration though cannot obviously improve the PSA level.