Effects of berberine on immune regulation and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in rats with lung cancer / 国际生物医学工程杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the effect of berberine on immune regulation and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signal pathway in lung cancer rats.Methods:The lung cancer rat model was established by perfusing a carcinogenic lipiodol solution. The 36 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into the model group ( n = 12), the berberine group ( n = 12), and the normal group ( n = 12). The rats in the berberine group were ig berberine 15 mg/kg, once daily. The rats in the model group and the normal group were ig the same dose of normal saline, once daily. The intervention was conducted continuously for 16 weeks for each group. The spleen index and lung index, tumor inhibition rate, T lymphocyte subgroup level, PI3K, and Akt protein expression of rats in each group were compared. Results:The spleen index of the model group and berberine group was lower than that of the normal group, while the lung index was higher than that of the normal group (all P < 0.05). The spleen index of the berberine group was higher than that of the model group, while the lung index was lower than that of the model group (all P < 0.05). The tumor weight of the berberine group was lower than that of the model group ( P < 0.05). The tumor inhibition rate of the berberine group was 43.12%. The CD3 +, CD4 +, and CD4 +/CD8 + levels of the model group and berberine group were lower than those of the normal group, CD8 + level was higher than that of the normal group (all P < 0.05), and the CD3 +, CD4 + and CD4 +/CD8 + levels of the berberine group higher than those of the model group, while CD8 + level was opposite (all P < 0.05). The gray values of PI3K and Akt protein of the model group and berberine group were higher than those of the normal group (all P < 0.05), and this value of the berberine group was lower than that of the model group (all P < 0.05). Conclusions:Berberine can effectively inhibit tumor growth in lung cancer rats, promote spleen development and differentiation, regulate immune function, and downregulate the expression of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.