[Mechanisms of proliferative inhibition by maimendong & qianjinweijing decoction in A549 cells].
OBJECTIVE
Traditional Chinese medicine is an approach for malignant tumor treatment with Chinese characteristics. The aim of this study is to investigate the inhibitory effects of Maimendong & qianjinweijing decoction extract on A549 human lung cancer cell line proliferation and explored its probable molecular mechanisms.


METHODS
A549 cells were treated with drugs in different does and time. The effects on the proliferation of A549 cells were detected by MTT assay and clonogenic assay in vitro. Cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry. Morphological changes of the apoptosis of cancer cells were observed by Hochest 33258 staining. Western blot was performed to detect apoptosis-related gene expression.


RESULTS
Ethyl acetate extract inhibited the growth of A549 cells but not in HFL-1 cells. Compared with controls, administration of 10 microg/mLethyl acetate extract resulted in 73.86% decrease in colony formation (P < 0.01), apoptotic rates of 33.86% (P < 0.01), and morphological changes of apoptosis in A549 cells. The expression of anti-apoptotic protein EGFR and ERK were significantly down-regulated (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Ethyl acetate extract might inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in A549 cells via downregulation of EGFR/ERK signal transduction pathway. Therefore, ethyl acetate extract should be further separated in order to identify the material fundamentals on anti-cancer effect.
Zhou
Yuhui
Y
College of Basic Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210046, China.
Zhan
Zhen
Z
Tang
Yuping
Y
Duan
Jin'ao
J
Zhang
Xu
X
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C119571:maimendongtang; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases