Apoptosis Induction by Sijunzi Decoction in Human Gastric Cancer Xenografts in Nude Mice
10.3321/j.issn:1000-467X.2001.02.011
- VernacularTitle:四君子汤诱导裸小鼠移植性人胃癌细胞凋亡的初步研究
- Author:
Ai-Guang ZHAO
1
;
Jin-Kun YANG
;
Hai-Lei ZHAO
;
Li-Kun LIU
Author Information
1. Longhua Hospital Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
- From:Chinese Journal of Cancer
2001;20(2):164-167
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective: The current study was designed to examine whether Sijunzi decoction could induce apoptosis in human gastric cancer xenografts in nude mice. Methods: A human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line SGC-7901 was grafted into 30 nude mice. The animals in two experimental groups received either Sijunzi decoction for 40 days or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) for 6 days beginning 2 days after grafting. The control animals received saline according to an identical schedule. The animals were sacrified 41 days after grafting. The therapeutic effect was determined by measuring of tumor size and tumor weight. Apoptotic indices were examined with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate fluorescence nick end labeling (TUNEL) method and flow cytometry analysis. Morphological changes were observed by electron microscopy. Results: Comparing with controls, tumor growth was significantly inhibited by Sijunzi decoction ( 34.33％ ， P<0.05) or 5 FU( 50.00％ ， P< 0.05) . Apoptotic index(AI) was significantly higher(16.24％ ± 3.21％ as determined by TUNEL and 11.38％ ± 6.46％ by FACScan) in Sijunzi decoction treatment group than that in the control group (TUNEL:2.63％ ± 1.03％ ,P< 0.01; FACScan:7.15％ ± 1.32％ ,P< 0.05); while there was no significant increase of AI in 5 FU treatment group. Cell shrinkage, nuclear chromatin condensation, formation of membrane blebs and apoptotic bodies were frequently observed on tumor sections in Sijunzi decoction group, while only few apoptotic cells/bodies and necrotic cells were found in the 5-FU treatment group, and in control group cancer cells were in proliferation. Conclusions: The data demonstrated enhanced apoptosis in human gastric cancer xenografts in nude mice after treatment with Sijunzi decoction, suggesting that Sijunzi decoction may be a potential anticancer agent for gastric cancer treatment.
