title: Effects of Zeng Sheng Ping/ACAPHA on malignant brain tumor growth and Notch signaling.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Zeng Sheng Ping (ZSP) is a traditional herbal remedy used to prevent progression and growth of neoplastic lesions. It has been shown to inhibit Notch2 expression in a murine lung cancer model, leading us to investigate its therapeutic potential in Notch-dependent brain tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS), apoptosis, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analyses were performed in glioma and medulloblastoma cell lines, and morphological analyses in DAOY flank xenografts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ZSP inhibited brain tumor growth in vitro, in part, by apoptotic induction. Down-regulation of the Notch2 receptor, the pathway target Hairy/Enhancer of Split homolog 1 (Hes1), and of the stem cell markers Nestin and CD133 was also observed. Reductions in tumor mass and increases in the necrotic fraction of DAOY xenografts, in mice treated with oral ZSP were also observed, but these were not significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ZSP can block brain tumor growth and the expression of Notch pathway members and stem cell markers in vitro.
authors: Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Ave, Ross Building 558, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors: Kah Jing
authors: KJ
authors: Lim
authors: Kda
authors: K
authors: Rajan
authors: Charles G
authors: CG
authors: Eberhart
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011897:Random Allocation; D051880:Receptors, Notch / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D051880:Receptors, Notch