Mechanism of AiTongXiao granule in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma based on network pharmacology and rat transplanted liver cancer model

Objective:To investigate the mechanism of action and material basis of AiTongXiao granule in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)based on network pharmacology and transplanted liver cancer rat model.Methods:TCMSP database was used to screen out effective components and its corresponding potential pharmaceutical targets,and databases including Gene Cards,OMIM,Drugbank and TTD were further used to collect HCC-related drug targets.The intersecting targets were obtained by mapping the drug and disease targets.The component-targets network was constructed and visualized by Cytoscape 3.8.2 software.Protein-protein interaction(PPI)network was built by STRING online platform,and the topological relationship and core targets was analyzed and screened by using CytoNCA software.In addition,Metascape database was used to perform gene ontology(GO)enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway analysis of the core targets.At last,rat liver transplanted liver cancer model was established by using Walker-256 cell line and treated by AiTongXiao granule for 15 days.Western blot was used to further compare the expression levels of AKT,pAKT,p53,p-p53,ERK1/2 and ERK1/2 in the tumor between treatment group and the control group.Results:257 active components were obtained from AiTongXiao granule,corresponding to 294 drug targets.Meanwhile,233 of the 7993 HCC disease targets were screened out between AiTongXiao granule drug and HCC disease targets.11 core targets including AKT1,IL6,TP53,MAPK3,TNF,JUN,CASP3,MAPK1,MYC,PTGS2,MMP9 were further obtained by median screening.GO and KEGG analysis results showed that these core targets enriched to HBV,TNF and cancer related pathways.The rat transplanted liver cancer model results indicated significant down regulation for AKT,p-AKT,pERK1/2,and significant up regulation of p-p53 after AiTongXiao granule treatment(P<0.05).Conclusion:AiTongXiao granule could act to multiple cancer related pathways,and AKT,p53 and ERK1/2 were validated to be regulated by ATXF in rat model.The mechanism may be through the regulation of the above signaling pathways to exert anti-liver cancer effect.

Establishment of an orthotopic transplantation tumor model of hepatocellular carcinoma in mice

AIM:To improve the outcome of orthotopic transplantation in a mouse model,we used an absorbable gelatin sponge(AGS) in nude mice to establish an orthotopic implantation tumor model.METHODS:MHCC-97L hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)cells stably expressing the luciferase gene were injected into the subcutaneous region of nude mice.One week later,the ectopic tumors were harvested and transplanted into the left liver lobe of nude mice.The AGS was used to establish the nude mouse orthotopic implantation tumor model.The tumor suppressor gene,paired box gene 5(PAX5),which is a tumor suppressor in HCC,was transfected into HCC cells to validate the model.Tumor growth was measured by bioluminescence imaging technology.Semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and histopathology were used to confirm the tumorigenicity of the implanted tumor from the MHCC-97L cell line.RESULTS:We successfully developed an orthotopic transplantation tumor model in nude mice with the use of an AGS.The success rate of tumor transplantation was improved from 60% in the control group to 100% in the experimental group using AGS.The detection of fluorescent signals showed that tumors grew in all live nude mice.The mice were divided into 3 groups:AGS-,AGS+/PAX5-and AGS+/PAX5 +.Tumor size was significantly smaller in PAX5 transfected nude mice compared to control mice(P < 0.0001).These fluorescent signal results were consistent with observations made during surgery.Pathologic examination further confirmed that the tissues from the ectopic tumor were HCC.Results from RT-PCR proved that the HCC originated from MHCC-97L cells.CONCLUSION:Using an AGS is a convenient and efficient way of establishing an indirect orthotopic liver transplantation tumor model with a high success rate.

Protective effect of antioxidant on renal damage caused by Doxorubicin chemotherapy in mice with hepatic cancer

Objective:To investigate the protective effects and mechanism of antioxidant TBHQ on renal damage caused by doxorubicin chemotherapy in mice with hepatic cancer.Methods:Cell H22 of mice with hepatic cancer which was subcultured for three times was subcutaneously transplanted to the groin of right lower limb of 45 SPF Kunming mice to establish the transplanted tumor model.The doxorubicin chemotherapy group and antioxidant intervention group received intraperitoneal injection of ADM(1 mg/kg·0.2 mL/2d).The model control group received normal saline(NS) of the same volume at the same time.1%TBHQ was added into the diet of mice of the antioxidant intervention group.Seven weeks later,morning urines and peripheral blood were randomly collected to detect UAIb,UCr,BUN,Scr and UAlb/Cr levels.All mice were beheaded.The renal tissues were made into homogenate,and SOD,T-AOC and MDA content in tissues were detected followed by cell lysis.All data were processed using SPSS 19.0.Results:The UAlb/Cr,BUN.Scr and MDA of doxorubicin chemotherapy group were significantly higher those of model control group and the activities of SOD,T-AOC in doxorubicin chemotherapy group were lower than those of model control group(P<0.01).The UAlb/Cr,BUN,Scr and MDA of antioxidant intervention group were lower than those of doxorubicin chemotherapy group and the activities of SOD,T-AOC of antioxidant intervention group were higher than those of doxorubicin chemotherapy group doxorubicin chemotherapy group(P<0.05).The BUN of model control group was higher than that of blank group,and T-AOC was lower than that of blank group,and difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusions:Doxorubicin chemotherapy could lead to abnormal antioxidant capacity and renal function of tumor-bearing mice with hepatic cancer.TBHQ antioxidant intervention could effectively improve the antioxidant capacity of renal tissue and reduce the renal damage caused by doxorubicin to some extent.

Activity of Recombinant Human Interleukin-15 against Tumor Recurrence and Metastasis in Mice

Transplantable experimental tumor models were constructed to study the activities of recombinant human interleukin-15 （rhIL-15） against tumor recurrence and metastasis. The results showed that tumor nodule formation was retarded and tumor growth was inhibited in the subcutaneous tumor model of LA795 lung adenocarcinoma after treatment with rhIL-15, and the survival rate of T739 tumor-bearing mice treated with rhIL-15 was much higher than that of mice treated with either saline or with the same dose of rhIL-2. This indicats that rhIL-15 had better antitumor effect than rhIL-2 at the same dose level. In some rhIL-15 treated mice, the tumor cells inoculated subcutaneously were eradicated and there was no tumor formation even 138 days after tumor cell inoculation. The tumor-free mice were rechallenged with live tumor cells and no tumor reoccurred in the following two months in all of these mice, indicating that long-lasting antitumor systemic immunity developed. It was also shown that tumor recurrence and metastasis were inhibited markedly after treatment with rhIL-15, but not with the same dose of rhIL-2, in both subcutaneously and intravenously disseminated tumor models of LA795 lung adenocarcinoma. Simultaneously, the CTL and NK cell activities of the splenocytes obtained from tumor-bearing mice that had been treated with either rhIL-15 or rhIL-2 were both markedly enhanced. However, the enhancement of CTL and NK cell activities was more significant in rhIL-15 treated mice than that in rhIL-2 treated mice. This suggests that the anti-tumor effect of rhIL-15 in vivo was achieved by enhancing the CTL and NK cell activities in tumor immune response.