Integrated Laboratory of TCM and Western Medicine of Peking University First Hospital and Integrated Institute of TCM and Western Medicine of Peking University, Beijing 100034, China.
Am J Chin Med. 2009;37(6):1153-65. doi: 10.1142/S0192415X09007569.
The aim of the present work was to explore the anti-hepatoma effects of icariin both in vitro and in vivo and to elucidate its potential mechanism of action. The MTT assay was applied to test the anti-proliferative effects of icariin in vitro. HepG2 bearing NMRI nu/nu mice were used to test the anticancer effects of icariin in vivo. Immunohistochemical assay and flow cytometry assay (FACS) were applied to detect the possible mechanisms of action of icariin. MTT assay illustrated that icariin inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells in a concentration dependent manner; meanwhile, icariin inhibited the tumor growth in HepG2 bearing NMRI nu/nu mice. The tumor weight was inhibited by 55.6% and tumor volume was inhibited by 47.2%. Icariin did not influence the spleen and body weights or blood parameters. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated that the expressions of both CD31 and Ki67 in the icariin treated group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p < 0.01). FACS assay showed that icariin dramatically decreased the percentage of CD4+ and CD8+ cells in bone marrow and CD19+ cells in blood on day 8. On day 17, the percentage of CD8+ cells in blood was lower than those in the control group. CD4/CD8 ratio in icariin group was significantly elevated in bone marrow on day 17. Icariin showed anticancer efficacy both in vitro and in vivo. The possible mechanism of action could be related to its anti-angiogenesis and anti-proliferative effects in tumors.
本研究旨在探讨淫羊藿苷在体内外的抗肝癌作用，并阐明其潜在的作用机制。MTT 法用于检测淫羊藿苷在体外的抗增殖作用。采用 HepG2 荷瘤 NMRI nu/nu 小鼠模型检测淫羊藿苷的体内抗癌作用。免疫组织化学法和流式细胞术（FACS）用于检测淫羊藿苷的可能作用机制。MTT 法表明，淫羊藿苷呈浓度依赖性抑制 HepG2 细胞的增殖；同时，淫羊藿苷抑制 HepG2 荷瘤 NMRI nu/nu 小鼠的肿瘤生长。肿瘤重量抑制率为 55.6%，肿瘤体积抑制率为 47.2%。淫羊藿苷不影响脾脏和体重或血液参数。免疫组织化学分析表明，淫羊藿苷处理组的 CD31 和 Ki67 表达均明显低于对照组（p <0.01）。FACS 分析显示，淫羊藿苷在第 8 天显著降低骨髓中 CD4+和 CD8+细胞以及血液中 CD19+细胞的比例，第 17 天血液中 CD8+细胞比例低于对照组。淫羊藿苷组骨髓中 CD4/CD8 比值在第 17 天明显升高。淫羊藿苷在体内外均显示出抗癌活性。其作用机制可能与其在肿瘤中的抗血管生成和抗增殖作用有关。
