Preliminary research on effect of combination of Ajuga decumbens and Poriacocos on invasion and metastasis of breast cancer / 中国药理学通报

ABSTRACT

Aim To investigate the effect of Ajuga decumbens(HBG), Poria cocos(FL) and their combination on the metastasis of invasive breast cancer cells and the related mechanisms.Methods We conducted several assays including cell adhesion assay, scratch assay and transwell invasion assay.Western blot analysis was employed to detect the expression of associated proteins of EMT and MAPK signaling pathway.Results FL,HBG and their combination could significantly inhibit the adhesion, migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 and SK-BR-3 cells.HBG and FL had markedly synergistic effect, and the best compatibility ratio was 10 ∶1.HBG, FL and their combination could reverse EMT of breast cancer cells, which increased the levels of epithelial biomarkers, such as β-catenin, E-cadherin and ZO-1, and reduced the levels of mesenchymal biomarkers, such as vimentin.Moreover, treatment of the cells with HBG, FL and their combination resulted in marked inhibition of phosphorylation of ERK1/2, JNK and p38.Conclusions The combination of HBG and FL have the ability to inhibit breast cancer cell invasion by targeting the expression of MAPK pathway as well as suppressing the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.