title: The investigation of a traditional Chinese medicine, Guizhi Fuling Wan (GFW) as an intravesical therapeutic agent for urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The high risk of recurrence faced by patients with bladder cancer has necessitated the administration of supplemental intravesical chemotherapy; however, such treatments often result in severe side effects. As a result, novel intravesical agents with enhanced efficacy and minimal toxicity are urgently required for the treatment of bladder cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Guizhi Fuling Wan (GFW) is a traditional Chinese medicine shown to inhibit the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma. This study evaluated the growth inhibition of GFW using normal human urothelial cells and bladder cancer cells; the efficacy of GFW treatment was further compared with mitomycin C, epirubicin, and cisplatin. We also examined the progression of cell cycle and apoptosis in bladder cancer cells in response to GFW treatment. CCK-8 was employed to analyze cell viability and flow cytometry was used to study the cell cycle and apoptosis. The mechanisms underlying GFW-induced cell cycle arrest were determined by Western blot analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our data demonstrate the potent inhibitory effect of GFW in the proliferation of bladder cancer cell lines, BFTC 905 and TSGH 8301. GFW presented relatively high selectivity with regard to cancer cells and minimal toxicity to normal urothelial cells. Our results also demonstrate that GFW interferes with cell cycle progression through the activation of CHK2 and P21 and induces apoptosis in these bladder cancer cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results provide experimental evidence to support GFW as a strong candidate for intravesicle chemotherapy against bladder cancer.
authors: Department of Chinese Medicinec, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chia-Yi, Taiwan.
authors: Chi-Chen
authors: CC
authors: Lu
authors: Mei-Yi
authors: MY
authors: Lin
authors: Syue-Yi
authors: SY
authors: Chen
authors: Cheng-Huang
authors: CH
authors: Shen
authors: Lih-Geeng
authors: LG
authors: Chen
authors: Hsiao-Yen
authors: HY
authors: Hsieh
authors: Michael W Y
authors: MW
authors: Chan
authors: Cheng-Da
authors: CD
authors: Hsu
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D064447:Checkpoint Kinase 2; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 / Q000378:metabolism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008517:Phytotherapy; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D012844:Sincalide; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D019459:Urothelium / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C525079:guizhi-fuling; D015251:Epirubicin; D016685:Mitomycin; D064447:Checkpoint Kinase 2; C578634:CHEK2 protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D012844:Sincalide; D002945:Cisplatin