Résumé
ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the efficacy and underlying mechanism of Da Chaihutang （DCHT） in treating hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） in vitro and in vivo. MethodWe employed methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium （MTT） assay and crystal violet staining to observe the proliferation of Hepa1-6 liver cancer cells treated with DCHT at different doses （0， 125， 250， 500， 1 000 mg·L-1） for different time periods （1， 2， 4， 8 days）. The orthotopic liver cancer model was established by injection of 1×106 Hepa1-6 cells into mouse， and then the model mice were randomly assigned into six groups： blank， model， DCHT （0.21， 0.625， 1.875 g·kg-1， ig， qd）， and positive control （5-fluorouracil， 25 mg·kg-1， ip， qod）. After 14 days of administration， the mice were sacrificed， and the liver samples were collected and fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde for hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. The Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP）， Cytoscape 3.7.2， STRING， and DAVID were used for the searching of the key targets of DCHT in treating HCC， the construction of protein-protein interaction （PPI） network， and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway enrichment. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to determine the mRNA level of interleukin-6 （IL-6） in Hepa1-6 cells and liver tissue. Western blotting was employed to measure the protein levels of the proteins involved in the mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK） and signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 （STAT3） signaling pathways. ResultDCHT （500， 1 000 mg·L-1） treatment for 4 and 8 days inhibited the proliferation of Hepa1-6 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner （P<0.05）. The in vivo assay showed that DCHT （high dose， 1.875 g·kg-1） treatment for 14 days led to high differentiation and unobvious heterogeneity of HCC cells and small necrotic area compared with the model group. Network pharmacology analysis predicted that the potential targets of DCHT in the treatment of HCC were mainly the inflammation cytokines such as IL-6， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α） in HCC microenvironment. The potential signaling pathways involved in the treatment were mainly associated with HCC growth and differentiation， including MAPK and STAT3 signaling pathways. Compared with the blank group， DCHT （1 000 mg·L-1） treatment for 1， 2， 4， and 8 days down-regulated the mRNA level of IL-6 in Hepa1-6 cells （P<0.05）. Similar results were observed in the livers of mice treated with DCHT （0.625， 1.875 g·kg-1）. The in vitro assay demonstrated that DCHT （1 000 mg·L-1） treatment for 4 and 8 days and DCHT （500， 1 000 mg·L-1） treatment inhibited the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 （ERK1/2）， c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase （JNK）， p38 MAPK， and STAT3 in a dose- and time-dependent manner （P<0.05）. The in vivo assay showed that DCHT （0.625 and 1.875 g·kg-1） treatment only inhibited the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and STAT3 （P<0.05）. ConclusionThe present study indicates that DCHT can inhibit liver cancer cell proliferation by regulating p38 MAPK/IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway.
Résumé
Multiple myeloma (MM) is a kind of plasma cell tumor, characterized by clonal expansion of malignant plasma cells in the micro-environment of bone marrow, production of monoclonal immunoglobulins and dysfunction of related organs. In recent years, with the introduction of autologous stem cell transplantation and the application of Lenalidomide and Bortezomib, the traditional treatment of myeloma had been changed and the overall survival of the patients was prolonged. Although significant progresses have been made in treatment, multiple myeloma is still incurable, mainly due to primary drug resistance and disease recurrence. Signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a kind of signal transcription factor, which is involved in diverse cellular processes including the differentiation, proliferation and angiogenesis in normal cells. Recently, it had been found that the high expression of STAT3 in tumors was closely related to the occurrence, development, invasion and metastasis of malignant tumors. STAT3 also played a key role in the occurrence and progression of multiple myeloma. In this paper, we reviewed the molecular structure, signal pathway, activation, regulation and basic biological functions of STAT3, and found that non coding RNA, heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and other factors play important roles in the occurrence, survival and immune escape of multiple myeloma through STAT3 pathway whose activation is related to the resistance of multiple myeloma cells to Bortezomib, Lenalidomide and other conventional drugs. Therefore, STAT3 can be used as a potential target for multiple myeloma. This review provides a basis for accurate diagnosis and treatment of MM and a reference for STAT3 as a potential prognostic marker.
Résumé
Objective::To observe the effect of Shenling Baizhusan(SBS)on the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1)/signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway in liver hepatocyte of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)rats induced by high fat diet, in order to reveal the mechanism of SBS against rat NAFLD from the perspective of inflammation. Method::Totally 80 SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, normal control group, model group, high-dose SBP group(30 g·kg-1), and low-dose SBS group(10 g·kg-1), with 20 rats in each group. The rats of NAFLD model were established by being fed with high-fat diets for 8 weeks, and the treatment groups were fed with high or low dose of SBS respectively. After treatment for 8 weeks, blood and liver samples of rats were collected. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride(TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)levels in blood serum were detected with automatic biochemical analyzer. The liver tissues were observed by oil red O and hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Hepatocytes were isolated by type Ⅳ collagenase perfusion in vitro. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-5 and IL-6 in hepatocytes were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the relevant gene and proteins expressions of mTORC1 and STAT3 in hepatocytes were detected by Real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) and Western blot detection respectively. Result::Compared with the normal control group, the serum levels of TG, TC, AST, ALT and LDL-C were increased significantly, the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-5 and IL-6 in hepatocytes were increased significantly, and the expression levels of mTORC1, STAT3 mRNA and proteins in hepatocytes were increased significantly(P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the hepatic lipid accumulation of the medicine intervention group was relieved significantly, the serum levels of AST, ALT, TG and LDL-C were decreased significantly, the expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-5 and IL-6 of hepatocytes were decreased significantly, and the expressions of mTORC1, STAT3 mRNA and proteins in hepatocytes were decreased significantly(P<0.05, P<0.01). In the high-dose SBS group, the effects in improving the lipid accumulation and inhibiting the inflammatory reaction were better than those of the low-dose SBS group, and the expressions of mTORC1 and STAT3 genes and proteins in hepatocytes were significantly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01). Conclusion::SBS can improve the fat metabolism disorder and reduce liver lipid accumulation and inflammatory reaction in NAFLD rats induced by high-fat diet. The mechanism may be correlated with the inhibition of mTORC1/STAT3 pathway relating to genes and protein expression in hepatocytes.