[Total alkaloids of Coptidis Rhizoma combined with exercise inhibits tumor growth of orthotopically transplanted 4T1 breast cancer mice by blocking cell cycle G_1/S transformation].

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes for cancer-related death among women worldwide. Coptidis Rhizoma has antibacterial,anti-inflammatory,anti-tumor and other pharmacological activities,but whether exercise could synergistically promote the role of RC in the treatment of breast cancer has not been reported. In this experiment,the effects and mechanism of total alkaloids of Coptidis Rhizoma combined with exercise on the tumor growth of orthotopically transplanted 4 T1 breast cancer were systemically studied in mice. Balb/C mice transplanted with 4 T1 cells in situ were used as models. The total alkaloids of RC(145 mg·kg-1·d-1) alone or in combination with exercise(10 m·min-1,30 min/time,5 times/week) were given for 28 days,and then the changes in body weight and tumor volume,tumor weight,interleukin-1ß(IL-1ß),serum estradiol(E2) content,and expression levels of estrogen receptor α(ERα),cell cycle related proteins CDK4,CDK6,cyclin D1,CDK2,and cyclin E in tumor tissues. The results showed that total alkaloids of Coptidis Rhizoma could significantly inhibit the growth of 4 T1 breast cancer in mice(P< 0. 01),and exercise significantly promoted the anti-tumor activity of total alkaloids of Coptidis Rhizoma(P<0. 01),and reduced E2 and IL-1ß levels in mice. Western blot and flow cytometry showed that the total alkaloids of Coptidis Rhizoma combined with exercise could down-regulate the protein expression levels of ERα,CDK4,CDK6,cyclin D1,CDK2 and cyclin E in cancer cells,block the transformation of G1/S in 4 T1 cell cycle,and inhibit DNA synthesis in breast cancer cells. The total alkaloids of Coptidis Rhizoma combined with exercise showed synergistic effect in inhibition of tumor growth in mice with orthotopically transplanted 4 T1 breast cancer.

Protective effect of Coptisine from Rhizoma Coptidis on LPS/D-GalN-induced acute liver failure in mice through up-regulating expression of miR-122.

Coptisine (COP), one of the main active ingredients of Rhizoma Coptidis, reportedly has anti-inflammatory, anti-colon cancer properties, but it remains elusive whether COP owns hepatoprotective activity. Mice were pretreated with COP for 7d prior to lipopolysaccharide/d-galactosamine (LPS/D-GalN) administration to detect the hepatic protective effects of COP. The mechanism was explored in using HepG2 cells with low level of miR-122 and LO2 cells with high level of miR-122, combining with miR-122 agomir transfection by means of detecting the expression of miR-122 and proteins, clinical index and apoptosis. COP ameliorated the LPS/D-GalN-induced liver failure by lowering serum levels of ALT and AST, raising hepatic GSH and SOD levels, and maintaining the morphology of hepatocytes, along with an increase in miR-122 expression in mice. The results in vitro indicated that, after miR-122 mimic administration, the alone treatment of COP and the co-treatment of COP and LPS transfection obviously promoted the apoptosis of HepG2, which was increased by 152.67% and 113.97% compared with NC (P < 0.05 vs NC). LPS significantly induced the apoptosis of L02 cells, but COP treatment attenuated that of L02 cells. Further analysis showed that COP increased the miR-122 level and the expression of Bax, cleaved-casp3 and decreased Bcl-2, Bcl-xL in LPS-treated HepG2 cells. COP increased the miR-122 level but decreased the expression of TLR4, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL in LPS-treated L02 cells. COP attenuated LPS/D-GalN-induced ALF by up-regulating the level of miR-122, synergistically promoting apoptosis, and suggesting COP which showed a potential protective effect on ALF.

Coptisine from Rhizoma coptidis exerts an anti-cancer effect on hepatocellular carcinoma by up-regulating miR-122.

With increasing incidence and mortality, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. In this study, microRNA-122 (miR-122) mimics and relevant control oligonucleotides were transfected into HepG2 cells in vitro, followed by coptisine (COP) and sorafenib treatments. Cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis were evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and colony formation assay, wound-healing assay, Hoechst 33258 staining and flow cytometry, respectively. Histopathology and miR-122 were analyzed by haemotoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and real-time RT-PCR, respectively; whereas, the relevant protein expressions were detected by western blot. In vivo, COP enhanced the expression of miR-122 by 160% compared to control in male BALB/c nude mice; COP not only protected the liver morphology but also showed a significant anti-cancer effect. Further, there was no remarkable difference between the tumor weights in the COP and sorafenib groups, but there was a striking difference to the tumor control group (p < 0.05). Hence, COP inhibited the proliferation, migration and promoted apoptosis of HCC cells; moreover, it inhibited the tumor growth in nude mice by up-regulating the expression of miR-122.