Oridonin inhibits gefitinib-resistant lung cancer cells by suppressing EGFR/ERK/MMP-12 and CIP2A/Akt signaling pathways.

Oridonin (Ori), a diterpenoid compound extracted from traditional medicinal herbs, elicits antitumor effects on many cancer types. However, whether Ori can be used in gefitinib-resistant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells remains unclear. This study investigated the antitumor activity and underlying mechanisms of Ori. Results demonstrated that this compound dose-dependently inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and migration of the gefitinib-resistant NSCLC cells in vitro. Ori also significantly downregulated the phosphorylation of EGFR, ERK, Akt, expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase-12 (MMP-12), and the cancerous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (CIP2A). In addition, Ori upregulated protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity of gefitinib-resistant NSCLC cells. Ori combined with docetaxel synergistically inhibited these cells. Ori also inhibited tumor growth in murine models. Immunohistochemistry results further revealed that Ori downregulated phospho-EGFR, MMP-12, and CIP2A in vivo. These findings indicated that Ori can inhibit the proliferation, invasion, and migration of gefitinib-resistant NSCLC cells by suppressing EGFR/ERK/MMP-12 and CIP2A/PP2A/Akt signaling pathways. Thus, Ori may be a novel effective candidate to treat gefitinib-resistant NSCLC.