Liuwei Dihuang pill suppresses metastasis by regulating the wnt pathway and disrupting β-catenin/T cell factor interactions in a murine model of triple-negative breast cancer

OBJECTIVE:To investigate if the Liuwei Dihuang pill(LWDHP)can inhibit metastasis to the liver and lungs in mice bearing triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC),and the molecular mechanism underpinning this action.METHODS:Ninety-nine TNBC bearing-mice were distributed randomly to five groups:control(Con),paclitaxel(PTX),low-dose LWDHP(LLP,2.3 g·kg^-1·d^-1),middle-dose LWDHP(MLP,4.6 g·kg^-1·d^-1)and high-dose LWDHP(HLP,9.2 g·kg^-1·d^-1).The LWDHP were administered(p.o.)to the agonal stage.The morphology of BC cells was observed by hematoxylin&eosin staining.Expression of axin-2,β-catenin,T cell factor(TCF),cyclin-D1 and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)was detected by western blotting or immunofluorescence.β-catenin/TCF-1 interaction was measured using a co-immunoprecipitation assay.RESULTS:After LWDHP treatment,metastasis of BC cells to the lungs and liver was inhibited,expression of axin-2 was increased,expression of TCF-1,β-catenin,cyclin-D1 and VEGF was decreased,andβ-catenin/TCF-1 interaction was disrupted.CONCLUSION:The LWDHP could inhibit metastasis of BC cells to the liver and lungs.The molecular mechanism underlying this action may be regulation of protein expression andβ-catenin/TCF-1 interactions in the Wnt pathway.