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Berberine inhibits the progression of renal cell carcinoma cells by regulating reactive oxygen species generation and inducing DNA damage

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Abstract

Background

Berberine is a natural isoquinoline alkaloid that has been shown to have antitumor properties in a growing number of studies. However, its role in renal cell carcinoma remains unclear. This study investigates berberine’s effect and mechanism in renal cell carcinoma.

Methods

The methyl-tetrazolium, colony formation, and lactate dehydrogenase assay were used to detect proliferation and cytotoxicity, respectively. Flow cytometry, caspase-Glo 3/7 assay, and adenosine triphosphate assay were used to detect apoptosis and the adenosine triphosphate levels. Wound healing and transwell assay were used to examine the migration ability of renal cell carcinoma cells. Besides, the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was explored using a DCFH-DA-based kit. Additionally, western blot and Immunofluorescence assay was taken to determine the levels of relative proteins.

Results

In vitro, our findings indicated that the proliferation and migration of renal cell carcinoma cells treated with berberine in various concentrations were inhibited, while the level of ROS and apoptosis rate were increased. Furthermore, The results of western blot showed that the expression of Bax, Bad, Bak, Cyto c, Clv-Caspase 3, Clv-Caspase 9, E-cadherin, TIMP-1and γH2AX were up-regulated, while Bcl-2, N-cadherin, Vimentin, Snail, Rad51 and PCNA were down-regulated after treating with berberine with various concentration.

Conclusion

The result of this study revealed that berberine inhibits renal cell carcinoma progression via regulating ROS generation and inducing DNA break.

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Funding

The present study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. 81272833).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Yuwan Zhaoa and Xinghua Lin contributed equally.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, 57 Renmin Street South, 524001, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China

    Yuwan Zhao, Xinghua Lin, Wenfeng Zeng, Xingzhang Qin, Bailiang Miao, Sheng Gao, Jianjun Liu & Zhuo Li

  2. Laboratory of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, 57 Renmin Street South, 524001, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China

    Jianjun Liu & Zhuo Li

Authors
  1. Yuwan Zhao
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  2. Xinghua Lin
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  3. Wenfeng Zeng
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  4. Xingzhang Qin
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Contributions

Zhao Yuwan: Conceptualization, Methodology, Data Curation. Lin Xinghua: Validation, Writing - Original Draft, Writing - Review & Editing. Zeng Wenfeng and Qin Xingzhang: Validation, Formal analysis.Miao Bailiang: Investigation. Gao Sheng: Visualization. Liu Jianjun: Resources, Funding acquisition. Li Zhuo: Project administration, Supervision.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Jianjun Liu or Zhuo Li.

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Zhao, Y., Lin, X., Zeng, W. et al. Berberine inhibits the progression of renal cell carcinoma cells by regulating reactive oxygen species generation and inducing DNA damage. Mol Biol Rep 50, 5697–5707 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-023-08381-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-023-08381-w

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