title: F-actin reorganization and inactivation of rho signaling pathway involved in the inhibitory effect of Coptidis Rhizoma on hepatoma cell migration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most malignant human tumors and one of the risk factors is its highly metastatic property. Coptidis Rhizoma aqueous extract (CRAE) is able to suppress the migration and invasion of HCC cells, MHCC97-L, and F-actin reorganization and Rho signaling inhibition is involved.
  
  
  METHODS
  CRAE was prepared and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry. The cytotoxicity and antimigration action of CRAE on MHCC97-L cells were evaluated; Immunofluorescence and immunoblotting were used to investigate the proposed mechanism of CRAE action.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chemical analysis reveals that the active components in CRAE are berberine and berberine-like alkaloids. CRAE exhibits a significant inhibitory effect on MHCC97-L cell migration as indicated by wound-healing and invasion-chamber assays. No significant alteration of matrix metalloproteinases and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) expression were observed in MHCC97-L cells exposed to CRAE. Reduction of F-actin polymerization and damage to cytoskeleton network in MHCC97-L cells were observed after CRAE treatment. Furthermore, it was found that CRAE significantly downregulated the Rho/ROCK signaling pathway.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that CRAE may act as a Rho/ROCK signaling inhibitor to suppress MHCC97-L cell migration in vitro and suggested that total alkaloids in Coptidis Rhizoma may be a potential agent for suppressing liver cancer invasion.
authors.affiliation: The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yibin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Echo Ping Woi
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Chiman
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: Yickpang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ching
authors.forename: Kwan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Man
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagamatsu
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Saiwah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsao
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D000089042:Coptis chinensis; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D055503:Protein Multimerization / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C107393:Coptidis rhizoma extract; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein