Yanggan jiedu sanjie and its anti-hepatocarcinoma potential

In this study, researchers from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine evaluated the effects of yanggan jiedu sanjie (YGJDSJ), a modern traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulation on TGF-B1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in hepatocellular carcinoma Bel-7402 cells. The results of their study were published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

• EMT is an important part of cancer progression and metastasis. Meanwhile, YGJDSJ is a modern TCM developed for the treatment of liver cancer.
• To determine the formula’s effects on EMT, the researchers tested YGJDSJ on Bel-7402 liver cancer cells.
• They identified EMT by observing cell morphological changes under a microscope and by confirming the expression and phosphorylation of protein markers using Western Blot.
• They also used the scratch assay to measure cell migration and a commercial kit to detect cell adhesion and invasion.
• The researchers reported that YGJDSJ treatment reversed the morphological changes induced by TGF-B1 and the expression of EMT markers like E-cadherin and N-cadherin in Bel-7402 cells.
• The formula also inhibited TGF-B1 up-regulated Smad3 phosphorylation and Snail expression, as well as TGF-B1-induced cell adhesion, migration, and invasion.

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that YGJDSJ can inhibit TGF-B1-induced EMT and mediates the metastatic potential of liver cancer cells by down-regulating Smad3 phosphorylation and Snail expression. These activities may be useful for the prevention of liver cancer metastasis.

Read the full article at this link.

Journal Reference:

Hu B, An HM, Yan X, Zheng JL, Huang XW, Li M. TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE FORMULATION YANGGAN JIEDU SANJIE INHIBITS TGF-?1-INDUCED EPITHELIAL-MESENCHYMAL TRANSITION AND METASTATIC POTENTIAL IN HUMAN HEPATOCARCINOMA BEL-7402 CELLS. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 15 March 2019;19(1). DOI: 10.1186/s12906-019-2477-9