Journal of Jilin University(Medicine Edition) ›› 2021, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (2): 299-306.doi: 10.13481/j.1671-587X.20210207

• Research in basic medicine • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Inhibitory effect of Shuganhuazheng Formula on growth of triple negative breast cancer of subcutaneous transplantation in mice

Bo WANG1,Yan YANG2,Rui FEI3(),Niancai JING2,Zhaodong LI3,Yi LU2,Hongyu XIAO2,Yue ZHANG1,2()   

  1. 1.Department of Internal Medicine of Chinese Medicine,College of Chinese Medicine,Changchun University of Chinese Medicine,Changchun 130117,China
    2.Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine,Jilin Tumor Hospital,Changchun 130021,China
    3.Department of Cell Biology,School of Basic Medical Sciences,Jilin University,Changchun 130021,China
  • Received:2020-08-15 Online:2021-03-28 Published:2021-03-25
  • Contact: Rui FEI,Yue ZHANG E-mail:feirui@jlu.edu.cn;zhangyuejlcc@163.com

Abstract: Objective

To investigate the anti-tumor effect of Shuganhuazheng Formula and the influence in the tumor angiogenesis in the mice with breast cancer, and to clarify its posible mechanism.

Methods

Forty female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into model group and 0.01, 0.10, 1.00 and 10.00 g·kg-1 Shuganhuazheng Formula groups, with 8 mice in each group. The mouse models of three-negative breast cancer (TNBC) were established by inoculation of 4T1 cells at the breast fat pad of the anterior axillary sternum in the mice. After the models were built successfully, the mice in Shuganhuazheng Formula groups were given the corresponding doses of Shuganhuazheng Formula by gavage, and the mice in model group were given the same amount of distilled water, lasted for 21 d. The food intakes and body weights of the mice were measured daily. On the 3rd, 7th, 14th and 21st days after the modeling, vernier calipers were used to measure the long and short diameters of the tumor, and the tumor volumes and the inhibitory rate of tumor of the mice in various groups were calculated. After 21 d, the mice were sacrificed and tumor tissue was taken. Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting methods were used to detect the expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiogenin-like protein-2 (Ang-2) proteins in tumor tissue of the mice in various groups.

Results

Compared with model group, the daily food intakes of the mice in different doses of Shuganhuazheng Formula groups were decreased with the increase of time, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). On the 14th and 21st days, the body weight of the mice in model group was increased slowly, but the weights of the mice in 10.00 g·kg-1 Shuganhuazheng Formula group were significantly increased,and the difference was statistically significant compared with model group (P<0.01). Compared with model group, the inhibitory rates of tumor of the mice in 0.10, 1.00 and 10.00 g·kg-1 Shuganhuazheng Formula groups were significantly increased on the 21st day (P<0.05 or P<0.01).The immunohistochemical results showed that the cytoplasm of the mice in model group had darker brownish yellow color, while the staining was gradually decreased with the increase of dose in each Shuganhuazheng Formula group. The brownish yellow color in cytoplasm in each Shuganhuazheng Formula group was decreased gradually, while the pale blue color in nucleus was increased gradually.The positive signal absorbance(A) value detection results showed that the expression levels of VEGF and Ang-2 proteins in tumor tissue of the mice in different doses of Shuganhuazheng Formula groups were significantly decreased compared with model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01),especially in 10.00 g·kg-1 Shuganhuazheng Formula group. The Western blotting results showed that compared with model group, the expression levels of VEGF and Ang-2 proteins in tumor tissue of the mice in different doses of Shuganhuazheng Formula groups were decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01) in a does-dependent manner.

Conclusion

Shuganhuazheng Formula has an inhibitory effect on the tumor growth of the breast cancer-bearing mice, and its mechanism may be related to inhibition of VEGF and Ang-2 protein expressions in tumor tissue.

Key words: Shuganhuazheng Formula, triple negative breast cancer, angiogenesisa, vascular endothelial growth factor, angiogenic protein-2

CLC Number: 

  • R737.9