title: Enhanced 5-fluorouracil cytotoxicity in high COX-2 expressing hepatocellular carcinoma cells by wogonin via the PI3K/Akt pathway.
abstract: Combination therapies may increase the antitumor effects and reduce the adverse effects for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. In this study, we determined the effects of 5-fluorouracil alone or in combination with wogonin in vitro and in vivo, and we investigated the possible mechanisms. The combination of these 2 drugs led to a decrease in survival and a significant synergistic inhibitory effect on high COX-2 expression in SMMC-7721 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. Furthermore, the results show that this combination inhibits COX-2 expression and increases sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents partly through regulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Moreover, the combination treatment caused a significant growth inhibition of human tumor xenografts in vivo. In conclusion, wogonin may increase the cytotoxicity of some antineoplastic agents and it can be used in combination with these agents as a novel therapeutic regimen for HCC treatment.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing, P R China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yun-Ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Sha
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Bin-Bin
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Zhi-Jian
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Qi-Dong
authors.initials: QD
authors.lastname: You
authors.forename: Qing-Long
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D044950:Flavanones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D044950:Flavanones; D010936:Plant Extracts; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D015232:Dinoprostone; C085514:wogonin; D005472:Fluorouracil