黄芪-莪术-重楼配伍激活PERK/eIF2α/ATF4信号通路介导抑制结直肠癌生长转移作用研究

Astragalus Mongholicus Bunge-Curcuma Aromatica-Paridis Rhizoma Inhibits Metastasis of Colon Cancer via the PERK/eIF2α/ATF4 Signaling Pathway

目的探讨黄芪-莪术-重楼(芪-术-蚤)配伍通过激活PERK/eIF2α/ATF4信号通路介导内质网应激(ER stress)抗结直肠癌生长、转移相关作用。方法BALB/c雄性小鼠30只随机分为假手术组、模型组、5-氟尿嘧啶(5-FU)组(25 mg·kg^(-1))、芪-术-蚤高剂量组(5.85 g·kg^(-1))、芪-术-蚤低剂量组(2.925 g·kg^(-1)),每组6只,构建结直肠癌原位移植瘤小鼠模型,给药15 d后,通过肿瘤体积大小变化评估芪-术-蚤配伍对肿瘤生长的干预效果;通过HE染色评估芪-术-蚤角药配伍干预后小鼠肝脏组织、肿瘤组织变化情况。采用ELISA法检测丙二醛(MDA)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)水平变化;Western blot检测PERK/eIF2α/ATF4信号通路和上皮细胞-间充质转化(EMT)相关蛋白表达。结果与模型组相比,芪-术-蚤高剂量组肿瘤体积明显减小(P<0.0001)、肝脾转移灶较不明显,肝组织和肿瘤组织病理染色结果产生变化,下调氧化应激相关指标GSH-Px、SOD水平,上调MDA水平,上调ER stress相关蛋白磷酸化蛋白激酶R样内质网激酶(p-PERK)、磷酸化真核启动因子2α(p-eIF2α)、转录激活因子4(ATF4)等的表达,上调上皮型钙黏蛋白(E-cadherin)、下调神经型钙黏蛋白(N-cadherin)、波形蛋白(Vimentin)、锌指转录因子(Snail)的蛋白表达水平,抑制EMT过程。结论芪-术-蚤角药配伍可能通过激活PERK/eIF2α/ATF4通路诱导持续的ER stress,影响结直肠癌EMT过程,从而抑制结直肠癌的生长转移。

OBJECTIVE To investigate the mechanism of anti-colorectal cancer growth and metastasis-related effects of Astragalus mongholicus Bunge-Curcuma aromatica-Paridis Rhizoma(Qi-Zhu-Zao)pairing through PERK/eIF2α/ATF4 signaling pathway mediating endoplasmic reticulum stress.METHODS Twenty-four BALB/c male mice were randomly divided into sham-operated group,model group,5-FU(5-fluorouracil)group(25 mg·kg^(-1)),and Qi-Zhu-Zao high dose group(5.85 g·kg^(-1)),Qi-Zhu-Zao low dose group(2.925 g·kg^(-1))(n=6)to construct a mouse model of colorectal cancer in situ transplantation tumor,and the intervention effect of Qi-Zhu-Zao combination on tumor growth was assessed by the change of tumor volume size after 15 days of administration;the intervention effect of Qi-Zhu-Zao combination on tumor growth was assessed by H&E.Pathological staining was used to evaluate the effect of Qi-Zhu-Zao combination on the liver and tumor tissues of mice.The changes of MDA,SOD and GSH-Px levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA);the expression of PERK/eIF2α/ATF4 signaling pathway and EMT-related proteins were detected by protein immunoblotting(Western blot).RESULTS Compared with the model group,the tumor volume was significantly reduced(P<0.0001),liver and spleen metastases were less pronounced in the Qi-Zhu-Zao high-dose group,and histopathological staining results of liver tissue and tumor produced changes in oxidative stress indicators SOD,MDA,and GSH-Px,upregulation of ER stress-related proteins p-PERK,p-IF2α,and ATF4,etc.,upregulated the protein expression levels of E-Cadherin,downregulated N-Cadherin,Vimentin,and Snail,and inhibited the EMT process(P<0.01 or P<0.05).CONCLUSION In this paper,we investigated the regulatory mechanism related to the inhibition of colorectal cancer growth and metastasis by the combination of Qi-Zhu-Zao trigonal medicine,and demonstrated that it may inhibit the growth and metastasis of colorectal cancer by activating the PERK/eIF2α/ATF4 pathway to induce sustained ER stress and affect the EMT process of colorectal cancer.