title: [Experimental study on suppressive effect of zilongjin on growth of human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 in vitro and in vivo].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the suppressive effect and mechanism of action of Zilongjin (ZLJ, a composite Chinese drug) on the growth of human breast carcinoma cell line MCF-7 in vivo and in vivo.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cell survival rate and clone forming efficiency were observed by direct cell counting with trypan blue staining and double layers soft agar test; the p-ERK 1/2 expression was analyzed using Western blotting; 17-beta-estrogen pellet embedding was adopted to make the subcutaneous transplanted tumor MCF-7 cell in BALB/c nude mice for detecting the tumor growth suppressive effect of ZLJ (20 g crude drug/kg).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survival rate of MCF-7 cell was obviously decreased by ZLJ in a time and dose-dependent manner; only few and small clones on soft agar could be found after treated with ZLJ, the inhibition rates of clone formation(%) for 0.75, 1.5, 3, 6 mg/mL of ZLJ were 12.66 +/- 1.54, 88.83 +/- 2.13, 100 and 100, respectively, as compared with that of non-treated. The expression of p-ERK 1/2 was suppressed and the ability of the tumorigenicity in nude mice was reduced effectively by ZLJ. The mean volumes and weights of tumor in the test group and the control group were (0.73 +/- 0.58) cm3 vs (1.36 +/- 0.64) cm3 and (1.02 +/- 0.25) g vs (1.66 +/- 0.09) g respectively, showing significant difference (P<0.05), and the tumor inhibition rate of ZLJ was 38.55%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ZLJ shows obviously suppressive actions on malignant proliferation, transformation and tumorigenicity of human breast carcinoma cell line MCF-7; the down-regulation of p-ERK 1/2 protein may involve in these effects.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research, Ministry of Education, Central Laboratory, College of Oncology, Peking University, Beijing Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142.
authors.forename: Zhi-hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Yun-yan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Zhen-fu
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008517:Phytotherapy; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C558114:zilongjin