ABSTRACT
Objective:To observe the effect of Qiyu Sanlong decoction （QYSL） on the expressions of key molecules in signal axis of mammalian rapamycin target protein （mTOR）/yeast Atg6 homologous （Beclin1）/ microtubule-associated protein1 light chain3 （LC3） in A549 cells. Method:With A549 cells as the research object， the effect of QYSL medicated serum on cell viability of A549 cells were detected by cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） method. The effect of QYSL decoction on A549 cell apoptosis， autophagosome formation and the expression of autophagy markers were detected by Terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling （TUNEL） method， transmission electron microscope （TEM）， Real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot. Result:QYSL medicated serum could inhibit the viability of A549 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Compared with the blank serum group， the number of apoptotic A549 cells in the QYSL medicated serum group was significantly increased （P<0.01）， and the formation of autophagosome was significantly increased. Compared with the blank serum group， the mRNA and protein expressions of mTOR in A549 cells in the QYSL serum group were significantly decreased （P<0.01）， while mRNA and protein expressions of Beclin-1， autophagy related genes 5 （ATG5）， autophagy related genes 13 （ATG13） were significantly increased （P<0.01）. Conclusion:QYSL decoction can induce autophagy in A549 cells， and its specific mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of mTOR expression， the up-regulation of Beclin1， ATG5， ATG13 and LC3 expression， and the promotion of LC3Ⅰ conversion to LC3Ⅱ.