Anticancer Effects of Gleditsia sinensis Extract in Rats Transplanted With Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Abstract

The thorns of Gleditsia sinensis have been historically used in Chinese medicine and are considered one of the fundamental therapeutic herbs. Its anticancer effects are currently being explored. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer and still requires the development of new drugs with higher efficiency. By using a rat HCC model implanted with cancerous Walker-256 cells, the therapeutic effects of G. sinensis extract (GSE) were assessed, as well as its regulatory effects on miRNAs. GSE significantly restored liver morphology and dramatically induced cell apoptosis in HCC rats. In addition, miR-21/181b/183 was upregulated in the HCC liver, and the elevation of these miRNAs could be alleviated by both GSE and sorafenib. PTEN/TIMP3/PDCD4 downregulation was consistent with the targets of miR-21/181b/183 in the HCC liver, and the alteration of these target genes was restored by both GSE and sorafenib. TIMP3 effects on MMP-2/9 expression were also determined. Our present findings indicate the potential of GSE in HCC treatment, and expand the understanding of miRNA-related mechanisms in the anticancer effects of GSE.

Multivariate Data Analysis Guided Identification of Anticancer Constituents of Spina Gleditsiae for Human Hepatoma Cells

“…Claimed as an anticancer drug in the TCM system, the cytotoxic effects of Spina Gleditsiae have been reported in several in vitro and in vivo models. [3][4][5][6][7] However, the phytochemical foundation of the anticancer activities of Spina Gleditsiae still needed further elucidation. Previously, 3 compounds identified from Spina Gleditsiae were known to inhibit the growth of human SK-Hep-1 liver cancer cells in vitro.…”

“…Its pharmacological effects were determined to be regulatory effects on miRNAs, including miR-21/181b/183. 3 In both in vitro and in vivo colon cancer HCT116 models, the ethanol extract of Spina Gleditsiae inhibited the growth of cancer cells with an IC 50 at 600 μg/mL and significantly reduced tumor size in HCT116-xenografted tissues. These activities were associated with the regulation of expression of ERK phosphorylation, p27, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9).…”

Dissecting the Roles of PDCD4 in Breast Cancer

“…In addition, Gleditsia sinensis extract has been historically used in Chinese medicine and is considered one of the fundamental therapeutic herbs. The anti-breast cancer effect for Gleditsia sinensis probably results in upregulation of PDCD4 expression to promote cell apoptosis ( 84 , 85 ). Curcumin is a constituent of the yellow powder extracted from the roots of Curcuma longa Linn.…”

Profiling of widely targeted metabolomics for the identification of chemical composition in epidermis, xylem and pith of Gleditsiae Spina

“…Gleditsiae Spina, the thorn of G. sinensis , has been historically used as herbal medicine in East Asian countries, such as China, Korea and Japan (Gao et al, 2016). Pharmacological studies have revealed that Gleditsiae Spina has antioxidant, antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory and antitumor effects, and can effectively improve immunity (Cai et al, 2019; Lee et al, 2011, 2012; Li et al, 2018; Yi et al, 2015; Yoo et al, 2010; Yu et al, 2021). Flavonoids compounds are the major bioactive substances detect from Gleditsiae Spina, and they exhibit a wide range of biological activities, such as anticoagulant, antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor, anti‐inflammatory and antidepressant effects (Hu et al, 2020; Li et al, 2010; Liu et al, 2021; Yu et al, 2021).…”