title: [Chaiqiyigan granula enhances Taxol-induced growth inhibition of hepatocellular carcinoma xenografts in nude mice: an in vivo fluorescence imaging study].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of Chaiqiyigan Granula (CG) and Taxol on the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) xenografts and expression of Bax, p53 and VEGF in nude mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Whole-body fluorescence imaging was used to visualize the growth of HCC in nude mice bearing hepG2/EGFP cell xenograft. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the content of Bax, p53 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the tumor tissues.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with normal saline, Taxol alone and in combination with CG significantly inhibited the growth of HCC xenografts in the nude mice. The combined treatment with CG and Taxol produced a stronger inhibitory effect on the tumor growth than Taxol alone in the third and fourth weeks. The volume and weight of the xenografts were decreased in the combined treatment group compared with those in saline treatment group. CG combined with Taxol increased the expression of Bax and reduced the expression of p53 and VEGF in the tumor xenografts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CG can enhance the inhibitory effects of Taxol on the growth of HCC xenografts, and this effect is related to the up-regulation of Bax and down-regulation of p53 and VEGF expression in the tumor.
authors: First Department, Luohu Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen 518000, China. aron.francis@126.com
authors: Minling
authors: M
authors: You
authors: Manfang
authors: M
authors: Luo
authors: Weiqian
authors: W
authors: Liao
authors: Shiping
authors: S
authors: Hu
authors: Wenxue
authors: W
authors: Xu
authors: Linlin
authors: L
authors: Jing
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D061848:Optical Imaging; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C494826:BAX protein, human; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C495901:TP53 protein, human; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D017239:Paclitaxel