Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Huachansu (HCS) is a traditional Chinese medicine obtained from the dried skin glands of Bufo gargarizans and clinical uses of HCS have been approved in China to treat malignant tumors. The traditional Chinese medicine theory states that HCS relieves patients with cancer by promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis. Clinical observation found that local injection of HCS given to pancreatic cancer patients can significantly inhibit tumor progression and assist in enhancing the efficacy of chemotherapy. However, the material basis and underlying mechanism have not yet been elucidated.
Aim Of The Study: To investigate the therapeutic potential of HCS for the treatment of pancreatic cancer in in situ transplanted tumor nude mouse model. Furthermore, this study sought to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying its efficacy and assess the impact of HCS on the microenvironment of pancreatic cancer. To identify the antitumor effect of HCS in in situ transplanted tumor nude mouse model and determine the Chemopreventive mechanism of HCS on tumor microenvironment (TME).
Methods: Using the orthotopic transplantation nude mouse model with fluorescently labeled pancreatic cancer cell lines SW1990 and pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), we examined the effect of HCS on the pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) microenvironment based on the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β)/Smad pathway. The expression of TGF-β, smad2, smad3, smad4, collagen type-1 genes and proteins in nude mouse model were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot.
Results: HCS significantly reduced tumor growth rate, increased the survival rate, and ameliorated the histopathological changes in the pancreas. It was found that HCS concentration-dependently reduced the expression of TGF-β1 and collagen type-1 genes and proteins, decreased the expression of Smad2 and Smad3 genes, and downregulated the phosphorylation level of Smad2/3. Additionally, the gene and protein expression of Smad4 were promoted by HCS. Further, the promoting effect gradually enhanced with the rise of HCS concentration.
Conclusions: The results demonstrated HCS could regulate the activity of the TGF-β/Smad pathway in PDAC, improved the microenvironment of PDAC and delayed tumor progression. This study not only indicated that the protective mechanism of HCS on PDAC might be attributed partly to the inhibition of cytokine production and the TGF-β/Smad pathway, but also provided evidence for HCS as a potential medicine for PDAC treatment.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2024.117872 | DOI Listing |
J Mol Med (Berl)
January 2025
Hospital Sensory Department, Shenzhen Qianhai Shekou Free Trade Zone Hospital, 36 Gongye Qi Road, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518067, China.
This work researched the influence and mechanism of CD155 on hepatocellular carcinoma advancement. CD155 expression and its effect on survival of hepatocellular carcinoma patients were analyzed based on the GEPIA2 database. String software predicted the interacting between CD155 and CD96, which was further verified by co-immunoprecipitation experiment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnn Surg Oncol
January 2025
Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, Pôle des Pathologies Digestives et Hépatiques, Hôpital de Hautepierre-Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
J Gastroenterol
January 2025
Department of Gastroenterological, Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan.
J Cancer Res Clin Oncol
January 2025
Department of Pathology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, 12411, Egypt.
Introduction: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is associated with poor prognosis. The roles of the transcription factor special AT-rich binding protein-2 (SATB2) and β-catenin in PDAC have been a subject of controversy. We aimed to assess the diagnostic and prognostic impact of SATB2 and β-catenin in PDAC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur J Clin Invest
January 2025
Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Background: Several studies have investigated the association between Helicobacter pylori colonization and gastrointestinal malignancies. However, inconsistent results have been found, leaving no clear consensus.
Materials And Methods: Umbrella review of meta-analyses of observational studies aiming to understand the association between Helicobacter pylori colonization and gastrointestinal cancers in humans.
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!