Resveratrol, extracted from Chinese herbal medicine Polygonum cuspidatum, is known to inhibit invasion and metastasis of human colorectal cancer (CRC), in which long non-coding Metastasis Associated Lung Adenocarcinoma Transcript 1 (RNA-MALAT1) also plays an important role. Using MALAT1 lentiviral shRNA and over-expression constructs in CRC derived cell lines, LoVo and HCT116, we demonstrated that the anti-tumor effects of resveratrol on CRC are through inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling, thus the expression of its target genes such as c-Myc, MMP-7, as well as the expression of MALAT1. In detail, resveratrol down-regulates MALAT1, resulting in decreased nuclear localization of β-catenin thus attenuated Wnt/β-catenin signaling, which leads to the inhibition of CRC invasion and metastasis. This finding of ours surely provides important pre-clinical evidence supporting future use of resveratrol in prevention and treatment of CRC.

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Angiogenesis plays a significant role in colorectal cancer (CRC) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) appears to be involved with multiple aspects of CRC angiogenesis. Our aim was to investigate the inhibitory effects of Tan

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma is difficult to diagnose early, and most patients are already in the late stages of the disease when they are admitted to hospital. The total 5-year survival rate is less than 5%. Recent studies have showed that brucine has a good anti-tumor effect, but high toxicity, poor water solubility, short half-life, narrow therapeutic window, and a toxic dose that is close to the therapeutic dose, which all limit its clinical application. This study evaluated the effects of brucine immuno-nanoparticles (BIN) on hepatocellular carcinoma. Materials and methods: Anionic polymerization, chemical modification technology, and phacoemulsification technology were used to prepare a carboxylated polyethylene glycol-polylactic acid copolymer carrier material. Chemical coupling technology was utilized to develop antihuman AFP McAb-polyethylene glycol-polylactic acid copolymer BIN. The size, shape, zeta potential, drug loading, encapsulation efficiency, and release of these immune-nanoparticles were studied in vitro. The targeting, and growth, invasion, and metastasis inhibitory effects of this treatment on liver cancer SMMC-7721 cells were tested. Results: BIN were of uniform size with an average particle size of 249 ± 77 nm and zeta potential of −18.7 ± 4.19 mV. The encapsulation efficiency was 76.0% ± 2.3% and the drug load was 5.6% ± 0.2%. Complete uptake and even distribution around the liver cancer cell membrane were observed. Conclusion: BIN had even size distribution, was stable, and had a slow-releasing effect. BIN targeted the cell membrane of the liver cancer cell SMMC-7721 and significantly inhibited the growth, adhesion, invasion, and metastasis of SMMC-7721 cells. As a novel drug carrier system, BIN are a potentially promising targeting treatment for liver cancer.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is difficult to diagnose early, resulting in only 30% resection rate. HCC is a relatively chemo-resistant tumor, molecular targeted therapy can only benefit approximately 30% patients with liver cancer. Bufalin (Bu) is one of the topoisomerase II inhibitors, many studies have recently focused on the anticancer activities of bufalin. In the present study, we report that bufalin can inhibit the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of liver cancer cells via the Hh signaling pathway. The human high metastasis potential LM3 hepatoma cells (HCC-LM3) were cultured in vitro, bufalin and/or Hedgehog signaling pathway inhibitors (GANT61, cyclopamine) was added into cell culture fluid for 72 h to observe the antitumor effect of bufalin. The results showed that bufalin was able to inhibit epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and angiogenesis of liver cancer cells by influencing the expression of Ptch1'Gli1'Gli3 proteins in Hh signaling pathway. Bufalin could downregulate the downstream target molecules of MMP-2, MMP-9, β-catenin and VEGF in liver cancer cells by influencing the Gli1 and Gli3 expression of Hh signaling pathway, and upregulate the E-cadherin expression of liver cancer cells by influencing the Gli3 expression of Hh signaling pathway. Therefore, the present study shows that bufalin combined with Hedgehog signaling pathway inhibitors can significantly reduce the malignant biological behavior of the liver cancer cells.