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Pien Tze Huang (片仔癀) Overcomes Doxorubicin Resistance and Inhibits Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in MCF-7/ADR Cells

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Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the effect of Pien Tze Huang (片仔癀, PZH) on breast cancer chemoresistance and related epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and investigate the underlying mechanisms.

Methods

3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to determine the cell viability. Adriamycin (ADR) staining observed by fluorescence microscope was performed to detect the accumulation of ADR. Transwell assay was used to analyze the cell migration and invasion. Western-blot was performed to detect the protein expression of related genes.

Results

MCF-7/ADR cells were resistant to ADR treatment, and PZH treatment inhibited the viability of MCF-7/ADR cells in a dose-dependent manner. PZH treatment also increased the intercellular accumulation of ADR and down-regulated the expression of ABCG2 and ABCB1 in MCF-7/ADR cells (P<0.05). In addition, PZH treatment inhibited EMT, migration and invasion of MCF-7/ADR cells (P<0.05). Moreover, PZH suppressed activation of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β) signaling in MCF-7/ADR cells (P<0.05).

Conclusion

PZH treatment can effectively overcome chemoresistance via down regulating ABCG2, ABCB1 and inhibit EMT in ADR resistant human breast cancer cells via suppression of the TGF-β1 pathway.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, China

    Xi Chen, Fei Qi, A-ling Shen, Jian-feng Chu, You-qin Chen & Jun Peng

  2. Department of Oncology, Fuzhou General Hospital of Nanjing Military Command, Fuzhou, 350003, China

    Xi Chen

  3. Fujian Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine on Geriatric, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, China

    Fei Qi, A-ling Shen, Jian-feng Chu & Jun Peng

  4. School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA

    Thomas Joseph Sferra & You-qin Chen

Authors
  1. Xi Chen
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  2. Fei Qi
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  3. A-ling Shen
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  4. Jian-feng Chu
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  7. Jun Peng
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Correspondence to Jun Peng.

Additional information

Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81673721), Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province (No. 2018j01352), and the Developmental Fund of Chen Keji Integrative Medicine (No. CKJ2014004)

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Chen, X., Qi, F., Shen, Al. et al. Pien Tze Huang (片仔癀) Overcomes Doxorubicin Resistance and Inhibits Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in MCF-7/ADR Cells. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 25, 598–603 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-018-2992-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-018-2992-4

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