Zhao Yu-Ting, Yang Yang, Mei Wen-Ting, Chen Ting, Wei Wei, Wu Yu-Chen, Yu Xiao, Huang Fei
Department of Endocrinology, The Suzhou Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 18 Yangsu Road, Suzhou 215000, China.
Laboratory of Cancer Molecular Genetics, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Ren-Ai Road, Dushu Lake Campus, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou 215123, P.R. China.
Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets. 2025 Jul 9. doi: 10.2174/0118715303380988250627113427.
Thyroid nodules (TN) are distinct lesions within the thyroid gland that can cause compression symptoms, disrupt thyroid function, and impact aesthetics and daily life. Nei-Xiao-Pian (NXP), a traditional Chinese patent medicine developed by Suzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, has been effectively used in clinical treatment for TN. Due to the complex nature of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), limited clinical research exists on NXP, and its precise mechanisms of action remain largely unknown.
In this study, we investigated the effects of NXP on human tumorous thyroid cells and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) cells. Cells were treated with animal serum containing different concentrations of NXP. Cell viability, cell cycle progression, and apoptosis were assessed using the CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry. A literature review was also conducted to understand the physiological and pathological mechanisms underlying TN. Furthermore, we examined the involvement of the IL6/JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in the action of NXP by measuring the protein expression levels of IL-6, JAK2, and STAT3 in PTC cells using western blotting.
The present study showed that serum with a specific concentration of NXP reduced the viability of both tumorous thyroid cells and PTC cells, inhibited the proliferation of tumorous thyroid cells, and induced apoptosis. While NXP-containing serum did not significantly affect the cell cycle in PTC cells, it induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, NXP-containing serum dose-dependently suppressed the protein expressions of IL-6, JAK2, and STAT3 in PTC cells.
Our findings suggest that NXP may exert its therapeutic effects on TN by targeting the IL6/JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway, thereby slowing disease progression. These results highlight a potential mechanism through which NXP could contribute to tumor prevention and treatment, offering a promising direction for future research.
甲状腺结节（TN）是甲状腺内的明显病变，可导致压迫症状、破坏甲状腺功能，并影响美观和日常生活。内消瘰疬片（NXP）是苏州市中医医院研制的一种中成药，已有效应用于TN的临床治疗。由于中药性质复杂，关于NXP的临床研究有限，其确切作用机制仍 largely unknown。
在本研究中，我们研究了NXP对人甲状腺肿瘤细胞和甲状腺乳头状癌（PTC）细胞的影响。细胞用含有不同浓度NXP的动物血清处理。使用CCK-8测定法和流式细胞术评估细胞活力、细胞周期进程和细胞凋亡。还进行了文献综述以了解TN的生理和病理机制。此外，我们通过蛋白质印迹法测量PTC细胞中IL-6、JAK2和STAT3蛋白表达水平，研究了IL6/JAK2/STAT3信号通路在NXP作用中的参与情况。
本研究表明，特定浓度NXP的血清降低了甲状腺肿瘤细胞和PTC细胞的活力，抑制了甲状腺肿瘤细胞的增殖，并诱导了细胞凋亡。虽然含NXP的血清对PTC细胞的细胞周期没有显著影响，但它以剂量依赖的方式诱导细胞凋亡。此外，含NXP的血清剂量依赖性地抑制PTC细胞中IL-6、JAK2和STAT3的蛋白表达。
我们的研究结果表明，NXP可能通过靶向IL6/JAK2/STAT3信号通路对TN发挥治疗作用，从而减缓疾病进展。这些结果突出了NXP可能有助于肿瘤预防和治疗的潜在机制，为未来研究提供了一个有希望的方向。
