title: Scutellaria barbata D. Don extract inhibits the tumor growth through down-regulating of Treg cells and manipulating Th1/Th17 immune response in hepatoma H22-bearing mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies showed Scutellaria barbata D. Don extract (SBE) is a potent inhibitor in hepatoma and could improve immune function of hepatoma H22-bearing mice. However, the immunomodulatory function of SBE on the tumor growth of hepatoma remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the anti-tumor effects of SBE on hepatoma H22-bearing mice and explore the underlying immunomodulatory function.
  
  
  METHODS
  The hepatoma H22-bearing mice were treated by SBE for 30 days. The effect of SBE on the proliferation of HepG2 cells in vitro, the growth of transplanted tumor, the cytotoxicity of natural killer (NK) cells in spleen, the amount of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Treg cells and Th17 cells in tumor tissue, and the levels of IL-10, TGF-β, IL-17A, IL-2, and IFN-γ in serum of the hepatoma H22-bearing mice was observered. IL-17A was injected to the SBE treated mice from day 9 post H22 inoculation to examine its effect on tumor growth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SBE treatment inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells in vitro with a dose-dependent manner and significantly suppressed the tumor growth of hepatoma H22-bearing mice. Meanwhile, it increased NK cells' cytotoxicity in spleen, down-regulated the amount of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Treg cells and Th17 cells in tumor tissue, and decreased IL-10, TGF-β, and IL-17A levels (P < 0.01) whereas increased IL-2 and IFN-γ levels (P < 0.01) in the serum of hepatoma H22-bearing mice. Moreover, administration of recombinant mouse IL-17A reversed the anti-tumor effects of SBE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SBE could inhibit the proliferation of HepG2 cells in vitro. Meanwhile, SBE also could inhibit the growth of H22 implanted tumor in hepatoma H22-bearing mice, and this function might be associated with immunomodulatory activity through down-regulating of Treg cells and manipulating Th1/Th17 immune response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430022, China.
authors.forename: Xuefeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Kan
authors.affiliation: Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430022, China.
authors.forename: Wanli
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430022, China.
authors.forename: Ruxu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: You
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
authors.forename: Yanfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
authors.forename: Jianrong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430022, China. xjunion@126.com.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xue
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D031363:Scutellaria / Q000737:chemistry*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D020381:Interleukin-17; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D016753:Interleukin-10
keywords: H22; Hepatoma; IL-17A; Immunomodulatory; Scutellaria barbata D. Don extract (SBE); Th1/Th17; Treg cells