Zhongdong Hu1, Ailin Yang2, Haitao Fan3, Ying Wang4, Yunfang Zhao1, Xiaojun Zha5, Hongbing Zhang6, Pengfei Tu7. 1. Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China. 2. Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China; School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100102, China. 3. College of Bioengineering, Beijing Polytechnic, Beijing 100029, China. 4. Department of Molecular Orthopaedics, Beijing Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Beijing 100035, China. 5. Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China. 6. State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Physiology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China. 7. Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China. Electronic address: pengfeitu@163.com.
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been increasingly used to treat cancers. Trametes robiniophila Murr. (Huaier) is a medicinal fungus for treatment of inflammation and cancer. Huaier Granule has great clinical effect in various types of cancers, including liver cancer, lung cancer, gastric cancer, and breast cancer. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study was performed to determine the therapeutical effect of Huaier on cancers caused by aberrant mTOR signaling in vitro and in vivo, investigate the combination effect of Huaier and rapamycin or cisplatin on cell viability, and explore its underlying mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The therapeutical effect of Huaier on cancers caused by aberrant mTOR signaling and the underlying mechanism of combination effect of Huaier and rapamycin or cisplatin on cell viability were investigated in mouse embryonic fibroblasts, rat uterine leiomyoma cells, human hepatoma cells, human lung carcinoma cells, and xenograft tumor model by cell viability assay and immunoblotting. RESULTS: Activation of mTOR sensitizes cells to Huaier treatment. Huaier inhibits tumorigenic capacity of cells with activated mTOR in vivo. Moreover, activation of mTOR signaling induced by Huaier contributes to the increased sensitivity of cells to rapamycin or cisplatin in response to Huaier treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Huaier may be a potential drug for the treatment of cancers caused by aberrant mTOR signaling. The combination of Huaier and rapamycin may be a candidate regimen in the treatment of these cancers.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been increasingly used to treat cancers. Trametes robiniophila Murr. (Huaier) is a medicinal fungus for treatment of inflammation and cancer. Huaier Granule has great clinical effect in various types of cancers, including liver cancer, lung cancer, gastric cancer, and breast cancer. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study was performed to determine the therapeutical effect of Huaier on cancers caused by aberrant mTOR signaling in vitro and in vivo, investigate the combination effect of Huaier and rapamycin or cisplatin on cell viability, and explore its underlying mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The therapeutical effect of Huaier on cancers caused by aberrant mTOR signaling and the underlying mechanism of combination effect of Huaier and rapamycin or cisplatin on cell viability were investigated in mouse embryonic fibroblasts, rat uterine leiomyoma cells, humanhepatoma cells, humanlung carcinoma cells, and xenograft tumor model by cell viability assay and immunoblotting. RESULTS: Activation of mTOR sensitizes cells to Huaier treatment. Huaier inhibits tumorigenic capacity of cells with activated mTOR in vivo. Moreover, activation of mTOR signaling induced by Huaier contributes to the increased sensitivity of cells to rapamycin or cisplatin in response to Huaier treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Huaier may be a potential drug for the treatment of cancers caused by aberrant mTOR signaling. The combination of Huaier and rapamycin may be a candidate regimen in the treatment of these cancers.
Authors: Lin Zhou; Li-Chao Pan; Yong-Gen Zheng; Xin-Xue Zhang; Zhi-Jia Liu; Xuan Meng; Hai-Da Shi; Guo-Sheng Du; Qiang He Journal: Ann Transl Med Date: 2020-04