ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo explore the effect of Qingre Huayu Jianpi prescription （QHJ） on colitis-associated colorectal cancer （CAC） in mice， and its related mechanism. MethodC57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups including the normal， model， QHJ low-dose （QHJ-L， 10 g·kg-1）， and QHJ high-dose （QHJ-H， 40 g·kg-1） groups. Azoxymethane （AOM） and dextran sodium sulfate （DSS） were combined to chemically build a CAC mouse model for 14 weeks. Each drug group was given intragastrically from the 5th week to the 14th week， once per day. An equal volume of water was fed to the normal and model groups. The mouse survival rate， colon length， weight， and pathological alterations were assessed. The protein expressions of Wnt-3a protein signaling （Wnt3a）， β-catenin， Non-phosphor-β-catenin （Non-p-β-catenin）， and cholesterol-binding glycoproteins 133 （CD133） were detected by Western blot. The localization and expression of the cluster of differentiation （CD） 80 and CD11 antigen-like family member B （CD11b） were detected by immunohistochemistry （IHC）. The colon organoids derived from CAC mice were isolated and cultured to detect the expression of Wnt signaling pathway-related proteins. ResultThe survival rate of the CAC mice was improved by QHJ treatment and the number of colon tumors was inhibited significantly. Compared with those in the normal group， the expression levels of Wnt3a， β-catenin， Non-p-β-catenin， and CD133 in colon tissues in the model group were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with those in the model group， the levels of Wnt3a and β-catenin in the QHJ-L group were significantly decreased （P<0.01）， and the protein levels of Wnt3a， β-catenin， Non-p-β-catenin， and CD133 in the QHJ-H group were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Meanwhile， the expression level of CD11b in the model group was significantly increased compared with that in the normal group while the CD80 level was significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with those in the model group， CD11b in QHJ-L and QHJ-H groups was significantly decreased， and CD80 was significantly increased（P<0.05， P<0.01）. The expressions of Non-p-β-catenin and CD133 in colonic organoids of CAC model mice were significantly increased， while QHJ treatment could inhibit the expressions of Non-p-β-catenin and CD133 in colonic organoids （P<0.01）. ConclusionQHJ could inhibit the inflammation-cancer development in CAC mice， the mechanism of which might be related to regulating the microenvironment and inhibiting the over-activation of Wnt signaling.
ABSTRACT
Colonic organoids are three-dimensional organotypic cultures of the colonic stem cells or pluripotent stem cells. Its essence is the culture of colonic stem cells or pluripotent stem cells, and their derived intestinal epithelial cells, intestinal endocrine cells and goblet cells in basement membrane extract with specific growth factors. Colonic organoids are comprised of all major types of colonic epithelial cells and represent the architecture and function remarkably similar to those of the colonic epithelium, faithfully recapitulating the functional colonic epithelium ex vivo. As a superior basic experimental model, colonic organoids are representing advantages over conventional cell models and animal models in many aspects, such as high successful rate, short productive cycle, and high consistency with source tissue. Since first reported in 2011, colonic organoids have soon become an important topic in the field of colonic diseases. It has now been applied in the field of physiology of colonic epithelium, infectious diarrhea, ulcerative colitis, regeneration of intestinal injury, and colon tumors. In this review, we summarize the research advances of establishment and application of colonic organoids.