Jianpi-Huayu decotion combined with gemcitabine induces ferroptosis and inhibits growth of pancreatic cancer cells through Nrf2/SLC7A11/GPX4 axis
10.3969/j.issn.1000-4718.2025.06.004
- VernacularTitle:健脾化瘀方协同吉西他滨通过Nrf2/SLC7A11/GPX4轴诱导胰腺癌细胞铁死亡并抑制其生长
- Author:
Xinqiu CHEN
1
;
Zhengze ZHANG
;
Shuwei LIU
;
Xiaoyu ZHU
;
Yongheng LAI
;
Chongkai FANG
;
Junhai HUANG
;
Xilin ZHAO
;
Chong ZHONG
Author Information
1. 中医证候重点实验室/广州中医药大学第一临床医学院,广东 广州 510405
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Jianpi-Huayu decoction;
gemcitabine;
pancreatic cancer;
ferroptosis;
Nrf2/SLC7A11/GPX4 axis
- From:
Chinese Journal of Pathophysiology
2025;41(6):1077-1087
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
AIM:To investigate the effect of Jianpi-Huayu decoction(JPHYD)combined with gemcitabine(GEM)on ferroptosis of pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells and its mechanism.METHODS:PANC-1 cells were cultured in vitro,and CCK8 method was used to detect the cell viability after different concentrations of JPHYD and GEM,and ap-propriate concentrations were selected for follow-up experiments.EDU assay and clonogenesis assay were used to detect cell proliferation.The apoptosis rate was detected by flow cytometry.Intracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS)were de-tected by DCFH-DA fluorescent probe and lipid peroxidation was detected by BODIPY 581/591C11 staining.The contents of glutathione(GSH),ferrous ion(Fe2+)and malondialdehyde(MDA)in the cells were detected by the kit.The mRNA levels and protein expression levels of Nrf2,HO-1,SLC7A11,GPX4,TFR1 and ACSL4 were detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot.RESULTS:Compared with the control group,the cell viability of PANC-1 treated with JPHYD and GEM was significantly decreased in a concentration-dependent manner.And the combined use of the two can significantly im-prove the cytotoxic effect of GEM and have a synergistic effect;Compared with control group,JPHYD group,GEM group and JPHYD+GEM group can significantly reduce EDU positive efficiency,colony formation numbers and promote cell apoptosis,and the combined group has the most obvious effect.After adding JPHYD+GEM into the cells,the cells be-came rounded and the cell viability decreased.The addition of ferrostatin-1(Fer-1),an inhibitor of ferroptosis,had no significant effect on cell morphology and viability,and the co-treatment with JPHYD+GEM and Fer-1 could reverse the ef-fects of JPHYD+GEM on cell morphology and viability.Compared with control group and GEM group,JPHYD+GEM group can significantly increase the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS)and lipid peroxidation,increase the levels of Fe2+and MDA,decrease the levels of GSH,further promote lipid peroxidation and induce ferroptosis.JPHYD+GEM also significantly down-regulated the mRNA and protein expressions of Nrf2,HO-1,SLC7A11 and GPX4,and up-regulated the mRNA and protein expressions of TFR1 and ACSL4.The addition of Fer-1 significantly reversed the activation of iron death in the combined treatment group and reversed its efficacy,and the difference was statistically signif-icant.CONCLUSION:Jianpi Huayu decoction and gemcitabine may induce ferroptosis of PANC-1 cells by inhibiting Nrf2/SLC7A11/GPX4 axis in vitro,thus playing a synergistic anticancer role.
