Tanshinone IIA decreases the protein expression of EGFR, and IGFR blocking the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in gastric carcinoma AGS cells both in vitro and in vivo.

Tan-IIA exerts powerful inhibitory effects in gastric cancer AGS cells. The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is one of the most frequently dysregulated kinase cascades in human cancer. In the present study, we investigated the protein expression levels of PI3K, AKT and mTOR in AGS cells treated with Tan-IIA both in vitro and in vivo. The AGS cells were treated with Tan-IIA for different durations in vitro. In the in vivo study, AGS cell xerograft SCID mice were treated with Tan-IIA for 8 weeks. Subsequently, the protein expression of EGFR, IGFR, PI3K, AKT and mTOR was measured by western blotting. The results showed that Tan-IIA was able to decrease the protein expression levels of EGFR, IGFR, PI3K, AKT and mTOR significantly and dose-dependently in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, these findings indicate Tan-IIA could inhibit AGS cells through decreasing the protein expression of EGFR, IGFR and blocking PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway both in vitro and in vivo.