Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii Extracts Exert Antitumor Effects on Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Multiple Myeloma by Inhibiting STAT3 Signaling.

BACKGROUND: Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii is an herb that possesses various ethnopharmacological applications. Herein, our current study focuses on the antitumor effect of a combination of physalins, which are regarded as the most representative secondary metabolites from calyces of Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We mainly investigated the antitumor activity of the physalins extracted from Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii on both solid and hematologic cancers. The main cells used in this study were NCI-H1975 and U266 cells. The major assays used were the CCK-8 assay, Western blot analyses, immunofluorescence assay and Annexin V assay, and a xenograft mouse model was used. RESULTS: The results showed that physalins exhibited a strong antitumoural effect on both non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and multiple myeloma (MM) cells by suppressing constitutive STAT3 activity and further inhibiting the downstream target gene expression induced by STAT3 signaling, which resulted in the enhanced apoptosis of tumor cells. Moreover, physalins significantly reduced tumor growth in xenograft models of lung cancer. CONCLUSION: Collectively, these findings demonstrated that the physalins from Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii may potentially act as cancer preventive or chemotherapeutic agents for NSCLC and MM by inhibiting the STAT3 signaling pathway. The present study served as a promising guide to further explore the precise mechanism of Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii in cancer treatment.

Transcatheter arterial chemical infusion for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: long-term outcome and predictor of survival.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the long-term outcome and the predictor of survival in patients treated with transcatheter arterial chemical infusion for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From May 2008 to August 2014, a total of 40 consecutive patients with advanced NSCLC who underwent transcatheter arterial chemical infusion were enrolled in this retrospective study. Data on patients' characteristics, treatment response and follow-up were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 142 cycles of transcatheter arterial chemical infusion were administered to the 40 patients (3.55 cycles per case). In 21 patients, only the bronchial artery was the tumor feeding artery, while in the remaining 19 patients, other arteries in addition to the bronchial artery served as the tumor feeding arteries. Five patients underwent bronchial arterial embolization after transcatheter arterial chemical infusion. There was no serious procedure-related complication. During 1-60 months (mean 11.5 ± 10.0 months) follow-up, 33 patients died. The objective response and disease control rates were 32.5 and 92.5 %, respectively. The mean time to tumor progression and overall survival was 9.2 ± 1.4 and 13.1 ± 2.0 months, respectively. Based on univariate and multivariate analyses, the independent predictors of decreasing overall survival were airway, esophagus, or superior vena cava involvement (P = 0.037) and more tumor feeding arteries in addition to the bronchial artery (P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Transcatheter arterial chemical infusion is an easy and effective method for treating patients with advanced NSCLC and it can provide a favorable long-term outcome.

Physalin A exerts anti-tumor activity in non-small cell lung cancer cell lines by suppressing JAK/STAT3 signaling.

The signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway plays critical roles in the pathogenesis and progression of various human cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, we aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of physalin A, a bioactive withanolide derived from Physalis alkekengi var. francheti used in traditional Chinese medicine, was evaluated in human NSCLC cells. Its and determined whether it effect oninhibited both constitutive and induced STAT3 activity, through repressing the phosphorylation levels of JAK2 and JAK3, resulting in anti-proliferation and pro-apoptotic effects on NSCLC cells was also determined, and. theThe antitumor effects of physalin A were also validated usingin an in vivo mouse xenograft models of NSCLC cells. Physalin A had anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects in NSCLC cells with constitutively activated STAT3; it also suppressed both constitutive and induced STAT3 activity by modulating the phosphorylation of JAK2 and JAK3. Furthermore, physalin A abrogated the nuclear translocation and transcriptional activity of STAT3, thereby decreasing the expression levels of STAT3, its target genes, such as Bcl-2 and XIAP. Knockdown of STAT3 expression by small interfering RNA (siRNA) significantly enhanced the pro-apoptotic effects of physalin A in NSCLC cells. Moreover, physalin A significantly suppressed tumor xenograft growth. Thus, as an inhibitor of JAK2/3-STAT3 signaling, physalin A, has potent anti-tumor activities, which may facilitate the development of a therapeutic strategy for treating NSCLC.

Ventilation catheter-assisted airway stenting under local anaesthesia for patients with airway stenosis: initial clinical experience.

PURPOSE: This report details our preliminary results of ventilation catheter-assisted airway stenting under local anaesthesia for airway stenosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen consecutive patients with airway stenosis underwent ventilation catheter-assisted airway stenting under local anaesthesia. A 4F angiographic catheter was used as the ventilation catheter. During the treatment, the distal tip of the ventilation catheter was placed across the stenosis into one of the main bronchi and the proximal tip of the catheter was linked to the oxygen tube for oxygen supplementation. Airway stenting was performed under ventilation support. Patients maintained autonomous respiration throughout the procedures. Data on technical success, clinical outcome and follow-up were collected and analysed. RESULTS: Ventilation catheter-assisted airway stenting under local anaesthesia was technically successful and well tolerated in all patients. Respiratory difficulty was improved in all patients after treatment. The average Hugh-Jones classification grade, arterial oxygen saturation value, and respiratory rate improved from 4.20 ± 0.68, 80.60 ± 3.83%, and 30.33 ± 2.02 times/min, respectively, before stenting to 1.47 ± 0.52 (P < 0.001), 94.93 ± 1.33% (P < 0.001), and 18.07 ± 1.33 times/min (P < 0.001), respectively, after stenting. After 2-11 months (average 5.73 ± 2.40 months) of follow-up, one patient experienced re-stenosis of the stent. The mean survival time of the 15 patients was 162.00 ± 71.60 days (range 55-320 days). CONCLUSIONS: Ventilation catheter-assisted airway stenting under local anaesthesia can be an effective, simple and safe method for airway stenosis.