Abstract:

Objective To discuss the regulatory effect of berberine （BBR） on fatty acids in the human glioma T98G cells and its effect on the cell proliferation， migration， and invasion， and to clarify its potential mechanism. Methods The T98G cells at logarithmic growth phase were divided into control group and different concentrations （25， 50， and 100 mg·L^－1） of BBR groups. Cell wound healing assay was used to detect the migration rates of the cells in various groups； Transwell chamber assay was used to detect the invasion rates of the cells in various groups.The T98G cells at logarithmic growth phase were divided into control group and 100 mg·L^－1BBR group，and Mass spectrometry was used to detect the fatty acid contents in the cells in two groups. The T98G cells at logarithmic growth phase were divided into control group and different concentrations （50， 100， and 150 mg·L^－1） of BBR groups； Western blotting method was used to detect the expression levels of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）， phosphorylated PI3K （p-PI3K）， protein kinase B （AKT）， phosphorylated AKT （p-AKT）， sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 （SREBP-1），and fatty acid synthase （FASN） in the cells in various groups.The expression of FASN was suppressed by gene silencing technology， and the T98G cells at logarithmic growth phase were divided into control group， shFASN1 group， and shFASN2 group. Western blotting method was used to detect the expression levels of FASN protein in the cells in various groups； clone formation assay was used to detect the clone formation of the cells in various groups；cell wound healing assay was used to detect the migration rates of the cells in various groups. Results Compared with control group， the migration rates and invasion rates of the cells in different concentrations of BBR groups were decreased in a concentration-dependent manner （P<0.01）， and the fatty acid content in the cells in 100 mg·L^－1 BBR group was significantly decreased （P<0.01）.Compared with control group，the expression levels of p-PI3K，p-AKT， SREBP-1， and FASN proteins in the cells in 150 mg·L^－1 BBR group were significantly decreased （P<0.05 or P<0.01）， and the expression level of SREBP-1 protein in the cells in 100 and 150 mg·L^－1 BBR groups were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. After suppression of FASN expression， compared with control group， the expression levels of FASN protein in the cells in shFASN1 and shFASN2 groups were significantly decreased （P<0.01）， and the expression level of FASN protein in the cells in shFASN2 group was lower than that in shFASN1 group （P<0.05）； compared with control group， the numbers of clone formation and migration rates of the cells in shFASN1 and shFASN2 groups were significantly decreased （P<0.01）， and the migration rate of the cells in shFASN2 group was significantly lower than that in shFASN1 group （P<0.05）. Conclusion BBR interferes with fatty acid synthesis in the glioma T98G cells by reducing the expression of the PI3K/AKT/SREBP-1/FASN pathway related proteins， and decrease their migration and invasion capabilities.

Key words: Berberine, Glioma, Fatty acid, Cell migration, Cell invasion