Effect of Stemona tuberosa Alkaloids on Apoptosis and PI3K/Akt and JNK/MAPK Signaling Pathways of Human Lung Cancer A549 Cells / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Stemona tuberosa alkaloids （STA） on apoptosis and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B （PI3K/Akt） and c-Jun N-terminal kinase/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （JNK/p38 MAPK） signaling pathways in human lung cancer A549 cells. MethodA549 cells were classified into blank group and STA groups （100， 150， 200， 250， 300 mg⋅L-1）. Thiazole blue （MTT） assay and colony formation assay were used to evaluate the proliferation of A549 cells. Apoptosis was observed based on Hoechst 33258 staining， flow cytometry， and Annexin V-FITC/PI staining. Western blot was employed to detect the expression of apoptosis-related proteins cysteine-aspartic acid protease-3 （Caspase-3）， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）-associated X protein （Bax）， and Bcl-2， and the expression of PI3K， phosphorylated （p）-PI3K， Akt， p-Akt， JNK， p-JNK， p38 MAPK， and p-p38 MAPK. ResultCompared with the blank group， STA groups （150， 200， 250， 300 mg⋅L-1） demonstrated the increase in inhibition rate of cell proliferation （P<0.01） and cell clone inhibition rate， and decrease in cell clone formation rate （P<0.01）. In comparison with the blank group， STA groups showed typical characteristics of apoptosis， such as chromatin condensation and enhanced fluorescence reaction. The apoptosis rate of STA groups was significantly higher than that of the blank group （P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， STA （150， 200， 250， 300 mg⋅L-1） significantly up-regulated the protein expression of Caspase-3 and Bax （P<0.05， P<0.01） and down-regulated the expression of Bcl-2 protein （P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， STA had no significant influence on the total protein expression of PI3K， Akt， JNK， and p38 MAPK. However， STA （150， 200， 250， 300 mg⋅L-1） significantly decreased the levels of p-PI3K and p-Akt （P<0.05， P<0.01） and increased the level of p-p38 MAPK （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， STA （200， 250， 300 mg⋅L-1） significantly raised the level of p-JNK （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionSTA can inhibit the proliferation and induce the apoptosis of A549 cells by inhibiting PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and activating JNK/p38 MAPK signaling pathway.

Study on the mechanism of miRNA-20a in regulating lipopolysaccharide-induced pyroptosis and inflammation of A549 cells / 中国新生儿科杂志

Methods:Cultured human alveolar epithelial A549 cells were assigned into LPS group and blank control group. LPS group was stimulated with LPS and adenosine triphosphate to induce pyroptosis and inflammation. A549 cells were divided into 4 groups: miR-20a mimics group, mimics-negative control (NC) group, inhibitor group and inhibitor-NC group. MiRNA-20a mimics, mimics-NC, inhibitor, and inhibitor-NC were transfected respectively into A549 cells, and after 24 h, the cells were collected to verify transfection efficiency by qPCR. MiRNA-20a mimics and the constructed TLR4-3'UTR double luciferase reporter plasmid were co-transfected into A549 cells, and luciferase activity was analyzed. MiRNA-20a mimics/inhibitors were transfected into A549 cells, and then the cells were stimulated by LPS for 8 h followed by adenosine triphosphate for 30 min. QPCR, Western Blot and ELISA were used to detect the expression of GSDMD, inflammatory factors (ASC, NLRP3, Caspase-1, IL-1β) and Signaling molecules (TLR4、NF-κB) in A549 cells at mRNA level and protein level. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression of TLR4 in the A549 cells and NF-κB in the nucleus of A549 cells after transfecting with miRNA-20a mimics/inhibitor.Results:The mRNA and protein expression of pyroptosis marker molecule (GSDMD) and inflammatory factors (ASC, NLRP3, Caspase-1, IL-1β) in A549 cells stimulated with LPS were significantly higher than those in the blank control group, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The expression of miRNA-20 in the mimics group was significantly higher than that in the mimic-NC group ( P<0.05), while the expression of miRNA-20a in the inhibitor group was lower than that in the inhibitor-NC group ( P<0.01). The double luciferase reporter gene experiment showed that the relative fluorescence value of the co-transfection group for TLR4-3'UTR-WT and miRNA-20a mimics was significantly lower than the co-transfection group for TLR4-3'UTR-WT and miRNA-20a mimics-NC ( P<0.05). The mRNA and protein levels of pyroptosis marker molecule (GSDMD) , inflammatory factors (ASC, NLRP3, Caspase-1, IL-1β) and signaling molecules (TLR4, NF-κB) were decreased in the mimics group compared to the mimics-NC group, and increased in inhibitor group compared to inhibitor-NC group. Conclusions:miRNA-20a may inhibit LPS-induced pyroptosis and inflammation of A549 cells via TLR4/NF-κB signal pathway.Objetive:To explore the potential role of miRNA-20a in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced pyroptosis and inflamation of human alveolar epithelial A549 cells and its regulation mechanisim.

Research progress in the mechanism of TCM intervention in anti-tumor effect of A549 cells in human lung adenocarcinoma / 国际中医中药杂志

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) exerts anti-tumor effects by intervening in A549 cells of human lung adenocarcinoma, mainly including activating or inhibiting downstream target proteins of Bcl-2 and Bax, or forming RIP1/RIP3/MLKL complex bodies by affecting pathways such as PI3K/Akt, thereby inducing apoptosis in A549 cells of lung adenocarcinoma; blocks the cell growth phase, thereby inhibiting the proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells; inhibits invasion and metastasis of A549 cells by affecting the MMPs pathway, STAT3 pathway, and regulating epithelial mesenchymal transition related factors; suppresses or activates the expression of related proteins or affect related signaling pathways, thereby reversing the resistance of lung cancer A549/DDP cell lines to cisplatin and paclitaxel.

Isolation,extraction and identification of exosomes from non-small cell lung cancer A549 cell culture supernatant / 中国生物制品学杂志

@#Objective To isolate,extract and identify exosomes from the culture supernatant of non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells. Methods Exosomes from supernatant of non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells were isolated by ultracentrifugation(Ult)and modified method[Ult combined with Exo Quick~(TM)(Ult-Exo Quick~(TM),U-EQ)],which were determined for the concentration by BCA,measured for the particle size distribution by nanoparticle tracking analysis(NTA),observed for the morphology by fluorescence staining and transmission electron microscope(TEM),and detected for the expression of CD63 and HSP70 proteins on the surface of exosomes by Western blot. Results The concentrations of exosomes isolated by U-EQ and Ult were 1. 355 and 0. 909 mg/mL,respectively;The total number of particles was 4. 65 × 10~9 and 4. 06 × 10~9 particles/mL,the peak sizes ranged from 81. 5 to 165. 5 and 59. 5 to 176. 5 nm,and the average size was(152. 3 ± 8. 8)and(94. 3 ±9. 8)nm,respectively;The exosomes were all 30～150 nm in diameter,while the morphology of exosomes extracted by U-EQ method was more uniform;CD63 and HSP70 proteins were expressed in all of them,while the exosomes extracted by U-EQ method showed higher expression. Conclusion Both U-EQ and Ult methods can isolate exosomes from the supernatant of non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells,while the concentration of exosomes extracted by U-EQ method is higher.

Expression of TLR3 in human adenocarcinoma of the lung cells induced by respiratory syncytial virus and its significance in the diagnosis of pneumonia in children / 中国医师杂志

Objective:To study the expression of Toll like receptor 3 (TLR3) in human adenocarcinoma of the lung cells induced by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and its significance in the diagnosis of pneumonia in children.Methods:A549 cells were divided into RSV infection group [added 1 μg/ml Lipopolysaccharide (TLR3 agonist) transfected RSV virus after 150 μl intervention], Lipopolysaccharide stimulation group (added 1 μg/ml Lipopolysaccharide 150 μl intervention) and normal control group (normal culture). The mRNA expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin 8, TLR3 protein and TLR3 in A549 Cells of different groups were compared. We prospectively selected 80 children with RSV infectious pneumonia admitted to Baoding Second Central Hospital from August 2019 to October 2021 as the RSV pneumonia group, and sixty children with common pneumonia were taken as the common pneumonia group, and 60 healthy children in our hospital were taken as the control group. The mRNA expression of serum TLR3 in different groups was compared, and the diagnostic efficacy of serum TLR3 in RSV pneumonia was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic.Results:There was a statistically significant difference in the expression of TLR3 protein among different groups of A549 cells ( P<0.001). The expression differences of TLR3 mRNA in different groups of A549 cells at different time points were statistically significant(all P<0.001). There was significant difference in the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin 8 of A549 cells at different time points in different groups (all P<0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in the expression of serum TLR3 mRNA among the three groups of subjects ( F=155.237, P<0.001). The critical value for TLR3 gene diagnosis was 66.87, with corresponding sensitivity of 73.75%, specificity of 70.83%, and the area under curve (AUC) of 0.803(95% CI: 0.753-0.855). Conclusions:Respiratory syncytial virus induces human lung cancer cells and promotes disease progression through TLR3 expression; Serum TLR3 can be used for the diagnosis of RSV pneumonia.

In vitro and in vivo anticancer potential and molecular targets of the new colchicine analog IIIM-067 / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#The current study evaluated various new colchicine analogs for their anticancer activity and to study the primary mechanism of apoptosis and in vivo antitumor activity of the analogs with selective anticancer properties and minimal toxicity to normal cells.@*METHODS@#Sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay was used to screen various colchicine analogs for their in vitro cytotoxicity. The effect of N-[(7S)-1,2,3-trimethoxy-9-oxo-10-(pyrrolidine-1-yl)5,6,7,9-tetrahydrobenzo[a] heptalene-7-yl] acetamide (IIIM-067) on clonogenicity, apoptotic induction, and invasiveness of A549 cells was determined using a clonogenic assay, scratch assay, and staining with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) and annexin V/propidium iodide. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were observed using fluorescence microscopy. Western blot analysis was used to quantify expression of proteins involved in apoptosis, cell cycle, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling. Pharmacokinetic and in vivo efficacy studies against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) and Ehrlich solid tumor models were conducted using Swiss albino mice.@*RESULTS@#IIIM-067 showed potent cytotoxicity and better selectivity than all other colchicine analogs screened in this study. The selective activity of IIIM-067 toward A549 cells was higher among other cancer cell lines, with a selectivity index (SI) value of 2.28. IIIM-067 demonstrated concentration- and time-dependent cytotoxicity against A549 cells with half-maximal inhibitory concentration values of 0.207, 0.150 and 0.106 μmol/L at 24, 48 and 72 h, respectively. It also had reduced toxicity to normal cells (SI > 1) than the parent compound colchicine (SI = 1). IIIM-067 reduced the clonogenic ability of A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner. IIIM-067 enhanced ROS production from 24.6% at 0.05 μmol/L to 82.1% at 0.4 μmol/L and substantially decreased the MMP (100% in control to 5.6% at 0.4 μmol/L). The annexin V-FITC assay demonstrated 78% apoptosis at 0.4 μmol/L. IIIM-067 significantly (P < 0.5) induced the expression of various intrinsic apoptotic pathway proteins, and it differentially regulated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Furthermore, IIIM-067 exhibited remarkable in vivo anticancer activity against the murine EAC model, with tumor growth inhibition (TGI) of 67.0% at a dose of 6 mg/kg (i.p.) and a reduced mortality compared to colchicine. IIIM-067 also effectively inhibited the tumor growth in the murine solid tumor model with TGI rates of 48.10%, 55.68% and 44.00% at doses of 5 mg/kg (i.p.), 6 mg/kg (i.p.) and 7 mg/kg (p.o.), respectively.@*CONCLUSION@#IIIM-067 exhibited significant anticancer activity with reduced toxicity both in vitro and in vivo and is a promising anticancer candidate. However, further studies are required in clinical settings to fully understand its potential.

Inhibitory Effect of Loropetalum Chinense on Proliferation of Lung Adenocarcinoma A549 Cells / 肿瘤防治研究

Objective To investigate the effects of Loropetalum chinense extracts on the proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells cultured in vitro. Methods CCK-8 assay was performed to evaluate the effect of Loropetalum chinense extracts on the proliferation of A549 cells, and the clonal growth ability of A549 cells was determined by clone formation assay. Flow cytometry Annexin V-APC/PI double staining was used to measure the apoptosis of A549 cells. Western blot was used to measure the expressions of apoptosis-related proteins Bax, Fas, Bcl-2 Caspase3 and cleaved-Caspase 3. Results Loropetalum chinense extracts significantly inhibited the proliferation and colony formation of A549 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The viability of A549 cells decreased by 50% after 48h treatment of 0.5mg/ml extracts, and 100% inhibition of colony formation rate achieved when the cells were treated with 40μg/ml extracts for 14 days. When A549 cells were treated with Loropetalum chinense extracts for 24h, apoptotic rates increased in a dose-dependent manner. Compared with the control group, the protein levels of Fas, Bax, Caspase3 and cleaved-Caspase3 were up-regulated, while Bcl-2 was down-regulated. Conclusion Loropetalum chinense extracts inhibit the growth of human lung adenocarcinoma cells in vitro, and the mechanisms may be related to the activation of mitochondrial and death receptor apoptosis pathway.

Effects of arsenic and its metabolites on expressions of BCL-2α and BCL-2β transcripts / 环境与职业医学

Background Arsenic is a toxicant that can affect the expressions of the cellular anti-apoptotic gene BCL-2 and its protein, but the effects of arsenic on BCL-2α and BCL-2\begin{document}$\beta $\end{document} transcripts have not been reported. Objective To investigate the potential effects of arsenic and its metabolites, methylarsonic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsonic acid (DMA), on BCL-2α, BCL-2\begin{document}$\beta $\end{document}, and BCL-2T (total of α and \begin{document}$\beta $\end{document} transcripts) in human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE) and human lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549). Methods 16HBE cells and A549 cells were randomly divided into three categories of exposure after in vitro culture: single-selected arsenic compound exposure groups with isoconcentration (16HBE cells were treated with 4.5 μmol·L−1 of MMA, DMA, and sodium arsenite, respectively, while A549 cells were treated with 60 μmol·L−1 of MMA, DMA, and sodium arsenite, respectively), sodium arsenite exposure groups with different concentrations (16HBE cells were treated with 1.5, 3.0, and 4.5 μmol·L−1 of sodium arsenite respectively, while A549 cells were treated with 20, 40, and 60 μmol·L−1 of sodium arsenite respectively), and combined exposure groups (i.e. MMA+sodium arsenite, and DMA+sodium arsenite; the exposure concentrations of 16HBE cells were both 1.5 μmol·L−1 and both 4.5 μmol·L−1 respectively, and those of A549 cells were both 20 μmol·L−1 and both 60 μmol·L−1 respectively). Meanwhile, a blank control group was also set up in each exposure category. After 48 h of continuous exposure, the relative expressions of BCL-2α, BCL-2\begin{document}$\beta $\end{document}, and BCL-2T in both cells were detected by real-time PCR. Results Regarding the single-selected arsenic compound exposure, in 16HBE cells, the expression levels of BCL-2α and BCL-2T under 4.5 μmol·L−1 MMA treatment were lower than those in their control groups (q=3.27, 2.93, both P<0.05), and the expression levels of BCL-2α, BCL-2\begin{document}$\beta $\end{document}, and BCL-2T under 4.5 μmol·L−1 sodium arsenite were lower than those in their respective control groups (q=11.06, 3.65, 10.70, all P<0.05). In A549 cells, the expression level of BCL-2T treated with 60 μmol·L−1 DMA was lower than that in the control group (q=3.12, P<0.05), and the expression levels of BCL-2α, BCL-2\begin{document}$\beta $\end{document}, and BCL-2T treated with 60 μmol·L−1 sodium arsenite were lower than those in their respective control groups (q=7.59, 7.27, 8.06, all P<0.05). Regarding the sodium arsenite exposure: 16HBE cells treated with 1.5 μmol·L−1 sodium arsenite had a lower expression level of BCL-2α and a higher expression level of BCL-2\begin{document}$\beta $\end{document} than those in their respective control groups (q=6.06, 11.92, both P<0.05); the expression level of BCL-2α under 3.0 μmol·L−1 sodium arsenite was lower than that in the control group (q=12.72, P<0.05); and under 4.5 μmol·L−1 sodium arsenite treatment, the expression levels of BCL-2α, BCL-2\begin{document}$\beta $\end{document}, and BCL-2T were lower than those in their respective control groups (q=15.72, 6.79, 6.62, all P<0.05). The expression levels of BCL-2α gradually decreased with increasing concentrations of sodium arsenite (Fα trend=144.80, P<0.001), while BCL-2\begin{document}$\beta $\end{document} and BCL-2T decreased in a dose-dependent manner in the range of 1.5-4.5 μmol·L−1 (F\begin{document}${}_{\beta } $\end{document} trend=135.40, FT trend=38.24, both P<0.001). In A549 cells, the expression levels of BCL-2α, BCL-2\begin{document}$\beta $\end{document}, and BCL-2T under each concentration of sodium arsenite treatments were lower than those in their respective control groups (all P<0.05); the results of further trend tests showed that their expression levels gradually decreased with increasing concentrations of sodium arsenite (Fα trend =31.97, F\begin{document}${}_{\beta} $\end{document} trend=549.50, FT trend=252.40, all P<0.001). Regarding the combined exposure, under MMA+sodium arsenite treatment at both 60 μmol·L−1, the expression levels of BCL-2α, BCL-2\begin{document}$\beta $\end{document}, and BCL-2T in A549 cells were higher than those in their respective control groups (q=6.37, 14.91, 5.33, all P<0.05); under DMA+sodium arsenite treatment at both 60 μmol·L−1, their expression levels in A549 cells were also higher than those in their respective control group (q=8.60, 17.29, 6.91, all P<0.05). Conclusion Exposure to a high concentration (16HBE: 4.5 μmol·L−1, A549: 60 μmol·L−1) of a single arsenic metabolite has no effect on BCL-2 transcripts in 16HBE cells and A549 cells. Exposure to a low concentration (1.5 μmol·L−1) of sodium arsenite alone would decrease the expression level of BCL-2α and increase the expression level of BCL-2\begin{document}$\beta $\end{document} in 16HBE cells, and exposure to all designed concentrations of sodium arsenite alone would decrease the expressions of all transcripts in A549 cells. The combined exposure to high concentrations (both 60 μmol·L−1) of MMA plus sodium arsenite or high concentrations (both 60 μmol·L−1) of DMA plus sodium arsenite would increase the expressions of BCL-2α, BCL-2\begin{document}$\beta $\end{document}, and BCL-2T in A549 cells, which are different from the effects presented by single exposure.

MiR-454-3p regulates the activity of lung cancer cells and its effect on the expression of CBX7 protein / 中国医师杂志

Objective:To explore the regulation of miR-454-3p on the activity of lung cancer cells and the expression of CBX7 protein.Methods:Normal lung epithelial cells 293T cells and human lung cancer cell line A549 cells were cultured in vitro. Lung cancer cells (A549 cells) were divided into three groups: blank group, miR-NC group and miR-454-3p group. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) method was used to detect the proliferation of the three groups; Transwell was used to detect the invasion number of the three groups; flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis rate; Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of CBX7 in lung cancer cells. Results:Compared with normal lung epithelial 293T cells, the expression of miR-454-3p mRNA in lung cancer A549 cells was significantly reduced, with significant difference ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the expression of CBX7 protein between the blank group and the miR-NC group ( P>0.05); The protein expression of CBX7 in miR-454-3p group was significantly higher than that in blank group and miR-NC group (all P<0.05). The results of CCK-8 showed that the A value of miR-454-3p group was significantly lower than that of blank group and miR-NC group (all P<0.05); there was no significant difference in the A value of lung cancer cells between blank group and miR-NC group ( P>0.05). The results of Transwell chamber experiment showed that the number of invasion cells in miR-454-3p group was significantly reduced compared with blank group and miR-NC group, and the invasive ability of lung cancer cells decreased significantly (all P<0.05); there was no significant change in the invasive ability of lung cancer cells between the blank group and miR-NC group ( P>0.05). The results of flow cytometry showed that there was no significant difference in the apoptosis rate between the blank group and miR-NC group ( P>0.05); compared with the blank group and miR-NC group, the apoptosis rate of lung cancer cells in miR-454-3p group increased significantly (all P<0.05). Conclusions:miR-454-3p is under-expressed in lung cancer cells. Overexpression of miR-454-3p can effectively regulate the biological activity of lung cancer cells, inhibit the proliferation and invasion of lung cancer cells, and promote cell apoptosis. Its mechanism may be related to the promotion of CBX7 protein expression by miR-454-3p.

Arctigenin attenuates paraquat-induced human lung epithelial A549 cell injury by suppressing ROS/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases-mediated apoptosis / 世界急诊医学杂志（英文）

@#BACKGROUND: Paraquat (PQ)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) and pulmonary fibrosis are common diseases with high mortality but without effective antidotes in emergency medicine. Our previous study has proved that arctigenin suppressed pulmonary fibrosis induced by PQ. We wondered whether arctigenin could also have a protective effect on PQ-induced ALI. METHODS: A PQ-induced A549 cell injury model was used, and the effect of arctigenin was determined by a cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) cell viability assay. In addition, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) staining assays and mitochondrial membrane potential assays were performed to evaluate the level of cell apoptosis. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was reflected by dihydroethidium (DHE) staining and a 2’,7’-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) assay. Moreover, immunoblotting studies were used to assess the expression of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and p38 MAPK. RESULTS: Arctigenin attenuated PQ-induced inhibition of A549 cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. Arctigenin also significantly reduced PQ-induced A549 cell apoptosis, as reflected by the TUNEL assay and mitochondrial membrane potential assay, which may result from suppressed ROS/p38 MAPK signaling because we found that arctigenin dramatically suppressed ROS generation and p38 MAPK phosphorylation. CONCLUSION: Arctigenin could attenuate PQ-induced lung epithelial A549 cell injury in vitro by suppressing ROS/p38 MAPK-mediated cell apoptosis, and arctigenin might be considered a potential candidate drug for PQ-induced ALI.

Lotus leaf flavonoids induce apoptosis of human lung cancer A549 cells through the ROS/p38 MAPK pathway

BACKGROUND: Leaves of the natural plant lotus are used in traditional Chinese medicine and tea production. They are rich in flavonoids. METHODS: In this study, lotus leaf flavonoids (LLF) were applied to human lung cancer A549 cells and human small cell lung cancer cells H446 in vitro to verify the effect of LLF on apoptosis in these cells through the ROS/p38 MAPK pathway. RESULTS: LLF had no toxic effect on normal cells at concentrations up to 500 µg/mL, but could significantly inhibit the proliferation of A549 cells and H446 cells. Flow cytometry showed that LLF could induce growth in A549 cells. We also found that LLF could increase ROS and MDA levels, and decrease SOD activity in A549 cells. Furthermore, qRT-PCR and western blot analyses showed that LLF could upregulate the expression of p38 MAPK (p-p38 MAPK), caspase-3, caspase-9, cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9 and Bax and downregulate the expression of Cu/Zn SOD, CAT, Nrf2, NQO1, HO-1, and Bcl-2 in A549 cells. Results of HPLC showed that LLF mainly contain five active substances: kaemp-feritrin, hyperoside, astragalin, phloridzin, and quercetin. The apoptosis-inducing effect of LLF on A549 cells came from these naturally active compounds. CONCLUSIONS: We have shown in this study that LLF is a bioactive substance that can induce apoptosis in A549 cells in vitro, and merits further research and development.

Effects of triptolide on radiosensitization of lung cancer A549 cells / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the effects of triptolide on radiosensitization of lung cancer A549 cells and the underlying mechanism.Methods:During June-September 2019, lung cancer A549 cells were treated with different concentrations of triptolide for 24 and 48 hours in Animal Experiment Center, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China. The inhibitory effects of triptolide on the proliferation of lung cancer A549 cells were determined using MTT method. Appropriate concentrations of triptolide and double distilled water were added to the experimental and control groups, respectively. The effects of triptolide on radiosensitization of lung cancer A549 cells was determined by colony formation assay. Radiosensitization ratio was calculated. Lung cancer A549 cells were divided into blank control, triptolide, radiotherapy, and radiotherapy + triptolide groups. The effects of triptolide on apoptosis and cell cycle of lung cancer A549 cells were determined by flow cytometry.Results:The 10% inhibitory concentration (IC 10) and half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50) of triptolide for treating lung cancer A549 cells were 36.61 nmol/L and 259.38 nmol/L, respectively at 24 hours, and they were 9.05 nmol/L and 61.49 nmol/L, respectively at 48 hours. Triptolide had an radiosensitization effect on lung cancer A549 cells, with the radiosensitization ratio of 1.135. The apoptosis rate in the radiotherapy + triptolide group was significantly higher than that in the radiotherapy [(45.47 ± 8.29)% vs. (5.25 ± 0.59)%, t = 6.847, P = 0.002]. The proportion of lung cancer A549 cells at the G2/M phase in the radiotherapy group was significantly higher than that in the radiotherapy + triptolide group [(27.82 ± 0.96)% vs. (11.98 ± 0.55)%, t = 20.176, P < 0.05]. The proportion of lung cancer A549 cells at the G2/M phase in the black group was significantly higher than that in the triptolide group [(17.31 ± 3.42)% vs. (8.05 ± 0.71)%, t = 3.749, P = 0.02]. Conclusion:Triptolide has a radiosensitization effect on lung cancer A549 cells, and the underlying mechanism may be related to its participation in cell apoptosis and cycle regulation.

Effects of lncRNA CDKN2B-AS1 targeting miR-98-5p on proliferation and invasion of lung cancer A549 cells / 中华内分泌外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the effects of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) CDKN2B-AS1 targeting miR-98-5p on proliferation and invasion of lung cancer A549 cells.Methods:A549 cells cultured in vitro were divided into control group, pcDNA group (transfected with pcDNA) , CDKN2B-AS1 group (transfected with pcDNA CDKN2B-AS1) and double transfection group (transfected with pcDNA CDKN2B-AS1 and pcDNA miR-98-5p) . The expression of lncRNA CDKN2B-AS1, miR-98-5p and the protein expression of PCNA, MMP-9 in A549 cells were detected. The activity, clone number, cloning efficiency, and the number of invasive cells of A549 cells were detected.Results:Compared with pcDNA group, the expression level of lncRNA CDKN2B-AS1 [ (2.14±0.14) vs (1.03±0.10) ], OD value in each time points, clone number [ (314.60±18.13) vs (220.08±12.46) ], cloning efficiency [ (85.81±3.06) % vs (60.03±2.85) %], invasive cell number [ (233.30±18.98) vs (140.84±12.30) ], expression levels of PCNA [ (0.78±0.08) vs (0.48±0.07) ] and MMP-9 [ (0.75±0.06) vs (0.38±0.06) ] proteins in A549 cells in CDKN2B-AS1 group were significantly increased ( P<0.05) ; the expression level of miR-98-5p [ (0.23±0.03) vs (0.99±0.09) ] was significantly decreased ( P<0.05) ; compared with CDKN2B-AS1 group, there was no significant difference in the expression level of lncRNA CDKN2B-AS1 in A549 cells in double transfection group ( P>0.05) , while the expression level of miR-98-5p in A549 cells was significantly increased ( P<0.05) . The OD value in each time points, clone number, cloning efficiency, invasive cell number, expression levels of PCNA and MMP-9 proteins were significantly decreased ( P<0.05) . Conclusion:LncRNA CDKN2B-AS1 can promote the proliferation and invasion of lung cancer A549 cells by targetingly inhibiting the expression of miR-98-5p.

GC-MS Analysis of Volatile Oil from Chaihu Guizhi Decoction and Study on Its Inhibitory Effects on in vitro Proliferation of Human Lung Adenocarcinoma A 549 Cells / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE：To study the compositi on of the volatile oil from Compound chaihu guizhi decoction ，and to evaluate its in vitro anti-proliferative activity on human lung adenocarcinoma A 549 cells. METHODS ：The volatile oil from Chaihu guizhi decoction was extracted according to the steam distillation method of general rules 2004 in the 2015 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia（part Ⅳ）. The volatile oil components were analyzed by GC-MS combined with Kováts index ，and the relative content of each component was calculated by peak area normalization method. Using different concentrations of cisplatin （4，8， 16，32，64 mg/L）as positive control ，MTT assay was used to detect the inhibitory effects of different concentrations of volatile oil from Chaihu guizhi decoction （25，50，100，200，400 mg/L）on in vitro proliferation of A 549 cell after 48 h of treatment. Negative control group （with cells but without drugs ）was set up. RESULTS ：A total of 71 chemical components were isolated from the volatile oil ，among which there were 59 compounds identified ，sum of peak areas accounting for 84.99％ of the total peak area. The compounds with relatively high content included ar-curcumene （17.65％），β-bisabolene（9.57％），β-ocimene（7.05％）， α-curcumene（5.35％），2，5-dimethylbenzaldehyde（4.24％），linalyl isobutyrate （2.70％），α-cedrene（2.48％），δ-cadinene （2.07％）. Compared with negative control group ，the proliferation rate of cells were decreased significantly in 4-64 mg/L cisplatin groups and 25-400 mg/L volatile oil from Chaihu guizhi decoction groups （P＜0.05）. IC 50 of cisplatin and volatile oil from Chaihu guizhi decoction to in vitro proliferation of A 549 cells were 10.150 and 73.526 mg/L. CONCLUSIONS ：The volatile oil from Chaihu guizhi decoction mainly includes ar-curcumene ，β-bisabolene，β-ocimene，α-curcumene，which shows certain inhibitory effect on in vitro proliferation of A 549 cells.

Effects of Pigment Epithelium-derived Factor and Its Peptides on Proliferation, Apoptosis and Migration of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer / 中国肺癌杂志

BACKGROUND@#The anti-tumor effect of pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) has been widely confirmed. However, the anti-tumor effect of its peptides is rarely reported. This study aims to investigate the effects of PEDF and its peptides on the apoptosis and migration of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).@*METHODS@#In this study, A549 cells and H1299 cells were selected as the research object, and the cells were divided into normal group, PEDF treatment group, 34 peptide treatment group, 44 peptide treatment group and 34+44 peptide treatment group by administering different drugs at the same concentration to the cells. The proliferation activity of cells in each group was detected by CCK-8 method; the migration ability of cells was detected by scratch test; the expression levels of apoptosis related proteins such as protein kinase 3 (RIP3) and cleaved-caspase-3 were detected by Western blot; the expression levels of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers in each group, such as cadherin (E-cadherin) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were detected by Western blot; the apoptosis rate of each group was detected by flow cytometry.@*RESULTS@#The results of CCK-8 showed that PEDF and its peptides could inhibit cell proliferation, and the inhibitory effect of 34+44 peptide was the strongest (P<0.05); Observation under the microscope found that PEDF and its peptides can inhibit the proliferation and mesenchymal transformation of A549 cells and H1299 cells, and the inhibitory effect of the 34+44 peptide group is the most obvious; Western blot indicated that compared with other groups, the expressions of cleaved-caspase-3 and RIP3 in 34+44 peptide group were significantly higher (P<0.05), and the expressions of EMT protein E-cadherin were higher, the expression of α-SMA decreased (P<0.05); The results of flow cytometry showed that the apoptosis rate of 34+44 peptide group was significantly higher than those of other groups (P<0.05); The scratch test showed that compared with all the other groups, the healing rate of 34+44 peptide group was the lowest (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#34+44 combination peptide can better promote the apoptosis of NSCLC, inhibit the migration of NSCLC, and thereby inhibit the growth of NSCLC.

Mechanism of Qiyu Sanlong Prescription in Inhibiting "Addiction" of Lung Cancer A549 Cells to miRNA21 / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To investigate the molecular mechanism of Qiyu Sanlong prescription （QYSL） in inhibiting the "addiction" of lung cancer A549 cells to miRNA21. Method:The human lung cancer A549 cells were routinely passaged and divided into the blank group， blank serum group， QYSL-containing serum group， and siRNA group. The prepared QYSL-containing serum was used for intervention， with the optimal concentration and action time determined in previous studies. The protein and mRNA expression levels of miRNA21 and related molecules in its target phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 （PTEN）/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K） signaling pathway were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot assay. Result:The comparison with the blank serum group revealed that the mRNA expression levels of miRNA21 in the QYSL-containing serum group and the siRNA group were decreased， while the PTEN mRNA expression in the QYSL-containing serum group was increased， showing significant differences （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with the blank serum， the QYSL-containing serum and siRNA significantly down-regulated PI3K and mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） mRNA expression （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， whereas the QYSL-containing serum did not change the mRNA expression of protein kinase B （Akt）. The protein expression levels of PTEN in the QYSL-containing serum group and the siRNA group were obviously elevated in contrast to that in the blank serum group （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Meanwhile， the protein expression levels of phosphorylated Akt （p-Akt） and phosphorylated mTOR （p-mTOR） evidently declined in the QYSL-containing serum group （<italic>P</italic><0.05）， but there was no significant reduction in total Akt and mTOR protein expression. The PI3K protein expression was slightly down-regulated， with no statistical significance. Conclusion:QYSL inhibits the transcription of miRNA21， increases the expression of PTEN， and reduces the expression of key molecules in PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway， thus mildly inhibiting the "addiction" of lung cancer cells to oncogenes and blocking their proliferation.

Mechanism of Scutellariae Radix-Hedyotidis Herba Against Proliferation of Lung Adenocarcinoma A549 Cells / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To observe the effects of Scutellariae Radix-Hedyotidis Herba on the proliferation of human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells and the expression of interleukin-6（IL-6）， phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K），protein kinase B （Akt）， p-protein kinase B （p-Akt）， mechanistic target of rapamycin （mTOR）， hypoxia-inducible factor-1<italic>α </italic>（HIF-1<italic>α</italic>）， and Cyclin D₁ at the cellular level， and to explore their molecular mechanism. Method:Following the set-up of the blank group （complete medium）， low-， moderate-，and high-dose （20， 40， and 60 mg·L^-1） Scutellariae Radix-Hedyotidis Herba groups， and low-， moderate-， and high-dose （5， 10， and 20 mg·L^-1） cisplatin groups， the cell were treated with the corresponding drugs for 24， 48， and 72 h for detecting their viability by tetrazolium bromide （MTT） colorimetry. A549 cells were then divided into the blank group， Scutellariae Radix-Hedyotidis Herba group， cisplatin group， and combined medication group and intervened with thecomplete medium， 40 mg·L^-1Scutellariae Radix-Hedyotidis Herba， 10 mg·L^-1 cisplatin， and 40 mg·L^-1Scutellariae Radix-Hedyotidis Herba + 10 mg·L^-1cisplatin， respectively， for 24， 48 and 72 h， followed by the measurement of inhibitory effects against the proliferation of A549 cells in each experimental group. The level of IL-6 in cell culture supernatant was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） after 72 h. The mRNA expression levels of HIF-1<italic>α</italic> and Cyclin D₁ in each group were assayed by real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）， and the protein expression levels of PI3K， Akt， p-Akt， mTOR， HIF-1<italic>α</italic>， and Cyclin D₁ by Western blot. Result:After 24 h intervention， Scutellariae Radix-Hedyotidis Herba did not significantly inhibit the proliferation of A549 cells. However， 48 h later， the inhibitory effect in Scutellariae Radix-Hedyotidis Herba groups were significantly enhanced in comparison with that in the blank group （<italic>P</italic><0.05）， exhibiting a time-dependent response. After 72 h of action， no significant change was present in the inhibitory effect of each Scutellariae Radix-Hedyotidis Herba group， so the optimal concentration of Scutellariae Radix-Hedyotidis Herba was set at 40 mg·L^-1 for follow-up experiments. As demonstrated by the comparison with the blank group， cisplatin at each concentration inhibited the cell proliferation in a time-dependent manner （<italic>P<</italic>0.05）. Considering the cell survival rate， the best concentration of cisplatin was set at 10 mg·L^-1. Compared with the blank group， Scutellariae Radix-Hedyotidis Herba combined with cisplatin remarkably inhibited the proliferation of A549 cells in a time-dependent manner （<italic>P<</italic>0.05）， and the differences between the combined medication group and the other two groups became more significant after 72 h of medication （<italic>P<</italic>0.01）. The IL-6 level in each experimental group， especially in the combined medication group， significantly declined in contrast to that in the blank group （<italic>P<</italic>0.01）. The mRNA expression levels of HIF-1<italic>α</italic> and Cyclin D₁ in all experimental groups were obviously lower than those in the blank group， with the most significant changes observed in the combined medication group （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The protein expression levels of PI3K， p-Akt， mTOR， HIF-1<italic>α</italic>， and Cyclin D₁ in each experimental group was significantly down-regulated（<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）， and the levels in the combined medication group were even lower than those in the cisplatin group （<italic>P<</italic>0.01）. Conclusion:Scutellariae Radix-Hedyotidis Herba has an inhibitory effect on the proliferation of A549 cells， which may be related to its inhibition against the expression and secretion of IL-6/PI3K/Akt/mTOR-HIF-1<italic>α</italic> axis.

Effect of Yiqi Fuzheng Jiedu Decoction on Autophagy and Growth of A549 Cells： An Exploration Based on p53/AMPK Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect and mechanism of Yiqi Fuzheng Jiedu decoction （YQFZJDD） on autophagy and growth of A549 cells. Method:A549 cells were intervened with YQFZJDD-containing serum prepared in advance. The levels of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3）， homologue of yeast autophagy-related gene 6 （Beclin1）， p62， p53， adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK）， phosphorylated AMPK （p-AMPK）， mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）， and phosphorylated mTOR （p-mTOR） were detected by Western blot assay， and microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B light chain 3B （MAP1LC3B） by immunofluorescence （IF） assay. The proliferation， invasion， and senescence of A549 cells were separately measured by 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine （EDU） staining， Transwell assay， and <italic>β</italic>-galactosidase staining. In the presence of autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine （3-MA， 5 mmol·L^-1）， the cells were divided into the 10% fetal bovine serum （blank） group， 10% control serum （control） group， low-， medium-， and high-dose 10% YQFZJDD-containing serum groups， and high-dose 10% YQFZJDD-containing serum + 3-MA group， followed by the measurement of A549 cell proliferation， invasion， and senescence. In the adoption of p53 inhibitor Pifithrin-<italic>α</italic> （PFT-<italic>α</italic>， 10 μmol·L^-1）， the cells were divided into the control group， PFT-<italic>α</italic> group， high-dose YQFZJDD-containing serum group， and high-dose YQFZJDD-containing serum + PFT-<italic>α</italic> group. Then the LC3-Ⅱ and Beclin1 expression， MAP1LC3B fluorescence intensity， as well as A549 cell proliferation， invasion and senescence were determined. Result:Compared with the blank group and control group， YQFZJDD-containing serum at the medium and high doses up-regulated the protein expression levels of LC3-Ⅱ and Beclin1 in A549 cells after 48-h intervention in a dose-dependent manner （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Besides， YQFZJDD-containing serum at the low-， medium-， and high-doses down-regulated p62 and p-mTOR/mTOR expression （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）， elevated p53 and p-AMPK/AMPK （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， decreased the number of proliferative and invasive cells， increased the number of senescent cells （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， and enhanced the IF intensity of MAP1LC3B， with the optimal effect observed in the high-dose YQFZJDD-containing serum group （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with the high-dose YQFZJDD-containing serum group， the high-dose YQFZJDD-containing serum + 3-MA group and high-dose YQFZJDD-containing serum + PFT-<italic>α</italic> group exhibited significantly increased proliferative and invasive cells but decreased senescent cells （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P<</italic>0.01）. Meanwhile， the IF intensity of MAP1LC3B in the high-dose YQFZJDD-containing serum + PFT-<italic>α</italic> group was weakened and the LC3-Ⅱ and Beclin1 protein expression levels declined （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P<</italic>0.01）. Conclusion:YQFZJDD promotes the autophagy of A549 cells through the p53/AMPK signaling pathway to inhibit their proliferation， invasion and migration but accelerate senescence， thus playing a crucial role in inhibiting the progression of lung cancer.

Effect of Qiyu Sanlong Decoction in Inducing Autophagy of A549 Cells by Regulating Molecular Expression Related to Signal Axis of mTOR-Beclin1-LC3 / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To observe the effect of Qiyu Sanlong decoction （QYSL） on the expressions of key molecules in signal axis of mammalian rapamycin target protein （mTOR）/yeast Atg6 homologous （Beclin1）/ microtubule-associated protein1 light chain3 （LC3） in A549 cells. Method:With A549 cells as the research object， the effect of QYSL medicated serum on cell viability of A549 cells were detected by cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） method. The effect of QYSL decoction on A549 cell apoptosis， autophagosome formation and the expression of autophagy markers were detected by Terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling （TUNEL） method， transmission electron microscope （TEM）， Real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot. Result:QYSL medicated serum could inhibit the viability of A549 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Compared with the blank serum group， the number of apoptotic A549 cells in the QYSL medicated serum group was significantly increased （P<0.01）， and the formation of autophagosome was significantly increased. Compared with the blank serum group， the mRNA and protein expressions of mTOR in A549 cells in the QYSL serum group were significantly decreased （P<0.01）， while mRNA and protein expressions of Beclin-1， autophagy related genes 5 （ATG5）， autophagy related genes 13 （ATG13） were significantly increased （P<0.01）. Conclusion:QYSL decoction can induce autophagy in A549 cells， and its specific mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of mTOR expression， the up-regulation of Beclin1， ATG5， ATG13 and LC3 expression， and the promotion of LC3Ⅰ conversion to LC3Ⅱ.

Effects of Oridonin-loaded Chitosan Graphene Oxide on the Proliferation and Apoptosis of A 549 Cells / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE：To study the effects of chitosan graphene oxide car rier（CS-GO）loaded with oridonin （CS-GO- oridonin）on the proliferation and apoptosis of human lung cancer A 549 cells. METHODS ：Taking A 549 cells as objects ，the survival rate of cells were detected by CCK- 8 method after treated with different concentrations of CS-GO （3，6，12，24，48 μg/mL）and CS-GO-oridonin loaded with same mass of oridonin （3，6，12，24，48 μg/mL，by the weight of oridonin ，the same below）. IC 50 of CS-GO-oridonin was calculated. The cell morphology were observed by microscope after treated with CS-GO and CS-GO-oridonin（both 32 μg/mL）for 2，4，10，24 h. The uptake of CS-GO ，oridonin，CS-GO-orionin（all 32 μg/mL）by cells was observed with fluorescence labeling method. The apoptosis of cells and the content of ROS were observed by flow cytometry after treated with different concentrations of CS-GO （16，32，64 μg/mL）and CS-GO-oridonin （16，32，64 μg/mL）. The expression of anti-apoptosis related proteins （Mcl-1，Bax and Bak ）were detected by Western blot. RESULTS ：After treated with different concentrations of CS-GO ，the survival rate of cells was still above 90％ ；after treated with different concentrations of CS-GO-oridonin，the survival rate of cells showed a downward trend ，and was significantly lower than that of CS-GO group （P＜ 0.01）；IC50 of CS-GO-oridonin was 32.61 μg/mL. After CS-GO treatment，the cell morphology did not change significantly ；after CS-GO-oridonin treatment ，the cells shrunk and fell off in clusters ，and the suspended matter increased ；the fluorescence of oridonin and CS-GO-orionin taken up by cells was enhanced than CS-GO. Compared with blank group ，there was no significant change in the apoptosis rate ，the content of ROS and the expression of apoptosis-related protein in 16，32，64 μg/mL CS-GO groups（P＞0.05）；apoptosis rate ，the content of ROS ，the protein expression of Bax and Bak in 16，32，64 μg/mL CS- GO-oridonin groups were increased significantly ，while the protein expression of Mcl- 1 were decreased significantly. Above indexes were significantly high er or lower than the same concentration CS-GO group （P＜0.05）. CONCL USIONS：CS-GO dose not affect the proliferation and apoptosis of A 549 cells；CS-GO-oridonin has obvious inhibition and apoptosis promoting effect on cells ，which may be related to increasing ROS production and regulating the expression of apoptosis related proteins.