[The effects of β-elemene on rabbit VX2 laryngeal carcinoma and factors associated with tumor growth and metastasis].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the inhibition effect of β-elemene on the growth and metastasis of laryngeal carcinoma and the underlying mechanism.


METHODS
Sixty-six rabbits were vaccinated with suspension of VX2 cancer tissues to establish a rabbit laryngeal carcinoma model and then they were randomly treated with the injection of 0.9% sodium chloride solution (as a control), cisplatin, or β-elemene from the seventh day after vaccination. The rabbits were sacrificed three weeks after vaccination. The laryngeal tumor was dissected. and the volume of tumor and the inhibitory rate of tumor growth were measured. The expressions of PCNA (proliferation cell nuclear antigen), Bcl-2 (B-cell lymphoma-2) and VEGF-D (vascular endothelial growth factor D) in tumor were semiquantitatively examined by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
The inhibition rates of tumor growth in β-elemene-treated group and the cisplatin-treated group were 48.5% and 51.4%, respectively. The expressions of Bcl-2 in β-elemene-treated group and cisplatin-treated group were significantly lower than the control (P<0.05), but with no significant difference between β-elemene-treated group and cisplatin-treated group. The expression of PCNA in β-elemene-treated group was significantly decreased compared to control group (P<0.05). The expression of VEGF-D in β-elemene-treated group was lower than that in control group or the cisplatin-treated group (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
β-elemene can inhibit the growth of rabbit VX2 laryngeal tumor, which may be associated with the inhibition of factors related to tumor growth and metastasis.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Second Hospital Affiliated to Suzhou University, Suzhou 215000, China.
W J
WJ
Zhao
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Central Hospital of Zibo, Zibo 255020, China.
Z A
ZA
Zhao
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Second Hospital Affiliated to Suzhou University, Suzhou 215000, China.
Q Y
QY
Wang
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Second Hospital Affiliated to Suzhou University, Suzhou 215000, China.
X B
XB
Li
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Second Hospital Affiliated to Suzhou University, Suzhou 215000, China.
C
C
Xie
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Second Hospital Affiliated to Suzhou University, Suzhou 215000, China.
Z S
ZS
Cao
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042643:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D / Q000378:metabolism
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C579459:VEGFD protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042643:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D; C445979:beta-elemene; D002945:Cisplatin