The combinational effect of vincristine and berberine on growth inhibition and apoptosis induction in hepatoma cells.
The use of vincristine, a known antitumor agent, in hepatoma therapy is limited particularly because of its toxic effect. Meanwhile, berberine has drawn increasing attention to its antineoplastic effect in recent years. In view of the advantages of combinational drug treatment reported in anti-cancer chemotherapy, we evaluated the effects of co-treatment of vincristine and berberine on hepatic carcinoma cell lines in this study. We find that combinational usage of these two drugs can significantly induce cell growth inhibition and apoptosis even under a concentration of vincristine barely showing cytotoxicity in the same cells when used alone. The underlying mechanism about this combinational effect was addressed in this study by monitoring the signals related to mitochondrial function, apoptotic pathway and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Our results suggest a new value of berberine as a potential adjuvant agent in cancer chemotherapy and provide a hopeful approach for developing hepatoma therapy by utilizing the combinational effect of vincristine and berberine.
Lab for Aging Research, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Keyuan 4-1, Gaopeng Avenue, High-tech Zone, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of, China.
Ling
L
Wang
Dandan
D
Wei
Xiaojuan
X
Han
Wei
W
Zhang
Chengzhong
C
Fan
Jie
J
Zhang
Chunfen
C
Mo
Ming
M
Yang
Junhong
J
Li
Zhe
Z
Wang
Qin
Q
Zhou
Hengyi
H
Xiao
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001599:Berberine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D059865:Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D056945:Hep G2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D001599:Berberine; D014750:Vincristine
APOPTOSIS; BERBERINE; HEPATIC CARCINOMA CELLS; MITOCHONDRIA; VINCRISTINE