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Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid is a rare and aggressive type of neoplasm, which is routinely treated with surgery; however, despite this, survival time is not commonly more than six months. Thus, the aim of the present study was to determine the efficacy of pseudolaric acid (PAB) as a therapeutic agent. PAB is an antitubulin agent, and in the present study, inhibition of the SW579 thyroid squamous cell carcinoma cell line by PAB was investigated. PAB was found to inhibit SW579 cell growth in a time‑ and dose‑dependent manner via interference in α‑tubulin polymerization. However, the inhibitory role of PAB in SW579 cells was not predominantly due to apoptosis, but was due to the cytostatic status resulting from cell cycle arrest. The present study proposes that this is the underlying mechanism of the antitumor properties of PAB. During cytostatis, autophagy was activated to sustain cell survival and SW579 cell migration was inhibited. Nuclear p53 expression was observed to be reduced, however the role of reduced p53 requires further investigation. Therefore, PAB induced cytostasis, which inhibited SW579 cell growth and therefore may function as an antitubulin therapeutic agent.

Background. Ursolic acid (UA) is an antitumor component derived from Chinese herbal medicine; this study is to observe the effects of UA on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in gastric cancer. Methods. (1) In vitro experiments: 25μmol/L and 50μmol/L UA were applied to BGC-823, AGS, MGC-803, and HGC-27 cells; MTT staining, Transwell assay, and flow cytometry were used to assess cell proliferation, cell migration, and apoptosis, respectively. Western blot was performed to detect the expressions of N-Cadherin, Vimentin, Snail, Twist, Axl, p-Axl, IKK, p-IKK, NF-κB, and p-NF-κB. (2) In vivo experiments: Ten BALB/c-nu mice were used to establish gastric cancer xenograft model. Five were orally given UA for 4 weeks and five were given normal saline. Expressions of N-Cadherin and Snail were examined by immunohistochemical assay; expressions of N-Cadherin, Snail, Twist, Axl, p-Axl, IKK, and p-IKK were detected by Western blot. Results. (1) UA inhibited cell proliferation in BGC-823 and HGC-27 cells in dose-dependent manners. (2) UA inhibited cell migration in BGC-823, AGS, and MGC-803 cells while inducing apoptosis in BGC-823 cells. (3) UA significantly decreased the expressions of N-Cadherin, Vimentin, Snail, Twist p-Axl, p-IKKα/β, and p-NF-κB in BGC-823 and MGC-803 cells. (4) UA distinctly decreased the expressions of N-Cadherin, Snail, p-Axl, and p-IKKα/β in gastric cancer xenograft model rats. Conclusion. UA can effectively inhibit the proliferation and migration and induce apoptosis of gastric cancer cells. The antitumor effect of UA is conducted by EMT inhibition, which may be associated with the regulation of Axl/NF-κB signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional Chinese herb Panax notoginseng (PN) tonifies blood, and its main active ingredient is saponin. PN is processed by different methods, resulting in different compositions and effects. To investigate changes in the microstructure and composition of fresh PN processed by different techniques and the anti-anemia effects on tumor-bearing BALB/c mice after chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide (CTX). Fresh PN was processed by hot-air drying (raw PN, RPN), steamed at 120 °C for 5 h (steamed PN, SPN), or fried at 130 °C, 160 °C, or 200 °C for 8 min (fried PN, FPN1, FPN2, or FPN3, respectively); then, the microstructures were compared with 3D optical microscopy, quasi-targeted metabolites were detected by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC‒MS/MS), and saponins were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). An anemic mouse model was established by subcutaneous H22 cell injection and treatment with CTX. The antianemia effects of PN after processing via three methods were investigated by measuring peripheral blood parameters, performing HE staining and measuring cell proliferation via immunofluorescence. 3D optical profiling revealed that the surface roughness of the SPN and FPN was greater than that of the other materials. Quasi-targeted metabolomics revealed that SPN and FPN had more differentially abundant metabolites whose abundance increased, while SPN had greater amounts of terpenoids and flavones. Analysis of the composition and content of the targeted saponins revealed that the contents of rare saponins (ginsenoside Rh 1 , 20(S)-Rg 3 , 20(R)-Rg 3 , Rh 4 , Rk 3 , Rg 5) were greater in the SPN. In animal experiments, the RBC, WBC, HGB and HCT levels in peripheral blood were increased by SPN and FPN. HE staining and immunofluorescence showed that H-SPN and M-FPN promoted bone marrow and spleen cell proliferation. The microstructure and components of fresh PN differed after processing via different methods. SPN and FPN ameliorated CTX-induced anemia in mice, but the effects of PN processed by these two methods did not differ. [Display omitted] • The rare saponin (ginsenoside Rh1, Rg3, Rh4, Rk3, Rg5) contents were higher in SPN. • The RBC, WBC, HGB and HCT levels in peripheral blood were increased by SPN and FPN. • H-SPN and M-FPN promoted bone marrow and spleen cell proliferation. • There was no significant difference between SPN and FPN in anti-anemia activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]