title: Breviscapine suppresses the growth of non-small cell lung cancer by enhancing microRNA-7 expression.
abstract: Breviscapine (BVP) has previously been shown to inhibit the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. However, little is known about the effects of BVP on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) growth. Here, we aimed to study the effects of BVP on human NSCLC growth. We employed A549, NCL-H460 and A549 cells transfected with microRNA-7 (miR-7) mimic and inhibitor to investigate the effect of BVP on cell proliferation, apoptosis and apoptosis-associated molecules. The results showed that BVP significantly reduced the growth of A549 and NCLH460 cells in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner, accompanied by a significant elevation of apoptosis. Additionally, the present study also confirmed that BVP-treated A549 cells showed increased levels of Bax and microRNA-7 (miR-7) and a decreased level of Bcl-2. The up-regulation of miR-7 enhanced the BVP sensitivity of NSCLC cells by suppressing cell proliferation and promoting cell apoptosis, while the inhibition of miR-7 reversed the anti-proliferative pro-apoptotic effects of BVP. Pre-treatment with miR-7 mimics enhanced the BVP-mediated down-regulation of Bax/Bcl-2 in NSCLC cells, while pre-treatment with the miR-7 inhibitor blocked the BVPmediated down-regulation of Bax/Bcl. Taken together, these results confirm that BVP effectively inhibits NSCLC proliferation and that miR-7, as a novel target, is likely involved in BVP-induced growth suppression and the apoptosis of NSCLC cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Tumor Surgery, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou 310004, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Shunv
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D000072283:A549 Cells; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D035683:MicroRNAs; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; C549242:MIRN7-1 microRNA, human; C061097:breviscapine