Effects of matrine in combination with cisplatin on liver cancer

Hu,Gaoyu; Cao,Cong; Deng,Zhihua; Li,Jun; Zhou,Xihan; Huang,Zansong; Cen,Chao

doi:10.3892/ol.2020.12327

Effects of matrine in combination with cisplatin on liver cancer

Authors:
- Gaoyu Hu
- Cong Cao
- Zhihua Deng
- Jun Li
- Xihan Zhou
- Zansong Huang
- Chao Cen
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Affiliations: Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China, Department of General Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
Published online on: November 25, 2020 https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2020.12327
Article Number: 66
Copyright: © Hu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Matrine, an alkaloid isolated from Sophora flavescens, promotes tumor cell apoptosis and strengthens the anticancer capacity of chemotherapeutic drugs. The present study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect and underlying mechanism of matrine in combination with cisplatin on liver cancer progression. Tumor progression was studied in nude mice. The human liver cancer cell line HepG2 was injected into BALB/c nude mice subcutaneously to establish a tumor model. Mice were subsequently treated with matrine, cisplatin, matrine + cisplatin or normal saline. Nude mice and tumor growth were monitored. Tumors were excised and the expression of survivin, caspase-3, caspase-7 and caspase-9 was detected by immunohistochemistry. Western blotting was used to determine the expression of survivin, caspase-3, caspase-7, caspase-9 and X‑linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) in tumor tissues. The results demonstrated that matrine exerted anticancer effects in liver cancer‑transplanted tumors, as evidenced by decrease in tumor weight and volume. Furthermore, the tumor inhibition rate in mice treated with matrine + cisplatin was 83.3%, whereas it was of 37.5 and 75% in mice treated with matrine or cisplatin alone, respectively. In addition, the expression of survivin and XIAP was significantly downregulated, whereas the expression of caspase-3, caspase-7 and caspase-9 was significantly upregulated in tumor tissues from nude mice treated with matrine + cisplatin, compared with those treated with cisplatin, matrine or normal saline. These findings suggested that the combination of matrine and cisplatin may promote tumor cell apoptosis in liver cancer by activating the caspase apoptosis pathway and suppressing the survivin‑associated inhibition of caspase‑9.

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