[Effects of Baihe Recipe on expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor and p53 proteins in tumor tissues of nude mice bearing orthotopically transplanted gastric carcinoma BGC-823].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of Baihe Recipe, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on growth and metastasis of orthotopically transplanted gastric carcinoma and the expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and p53 proteins in the tumor tissues in nude mice.


METHODS
Forty-five nude mice orthotopically transplanted with BGC-823 human gastric cancer cells were randomly divided into three groups: Baihe Recipe group, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) group and untreated group. The mice in the Baihe Recipe group received intragastric administration of 0.5 mL Baihe Recipe (crude drug content was 0.2 g/mL) for 6 weeks, and the mice in the untreated group received 0.5 mL normal saline. The mice in the 5-FU group received an intraperitoneal injection of 5-FU dilution (0.2 mL, 60 mg/kg per week, for 3 weeks). All mice were sacrificed after 6-week treatment. The weights of tumor and the growth-inhibiting rate were measured and the expressions of VEGF and p53 proteins were detected by immunohistochemical method.


RESULTS
The growth inhibition rates in the Baihe Recipe and 5-FU groups were 52.86% and 42.87% respectively. The incidence rates of metastasis to perigastric and hepatic portal lymph nodes, and to liver and peritoneum in the Baihe Recipe and 5-FU groups were lower than those in the untreated group. The metastasis rates in Baihe Recipe group, 5-FU group and untreated group were 33.33%, 35.71% and 80.00% respectively, with significant difference (P<0.05), and the expressions of VEGF and p53 proteins in tumor tissues in the Baihe Recipe group were lower than those in the untreated group and the 5-FU group (P<0.01, P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Baihe Recipe has inhibitory effects on tumor growth and metastasis of gastric cancer orthotopically transplanted in nude mice by down-regulating the expressions of VEGF and p53 proteins.
Dong
Zhi-ping
ZP
Department of General Surgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200003, China. pingzhi@yahoo.cn
Hu
Zhi-qian
ZQ
Peng
Wei
W
Shu
Zhi-jun
ZJ
Cao
Ye-min
YM
Lu
Lei
L
D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011897:Random Allocation; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C467480:vascular endothelial growth factor A, mouse