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Transcriptional regulation of G(2)/M regulatory proteins and perturbation of G(2)/M Cell cycle transition by a traditional Chinese medicine recipe

Authors Hnit, Su Su Thae; Yao, Mu; Xie, Chanlu; Ge, Guangbo; Bi, Ling; Jin, Shenyi; Jiao, Lijing; Xu, Ling; Long, Lina; Nie, Hong; Jin, Yu; Rogers, Linda; Suchowerska, Natalka; Wong, Matthew; Liu, Tao; De Souza, Paul; Li, Zhong; Dong, Qihan

Journal JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY , APR 6 2020,:251

DOI 10.1016/j.jep.2019.112526 PubMed 31893534

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance: Hedyotis diffusa Willd. (H) and Scutellaria barbata D.Don (S) are ancient anticancer Chinese herb medicines. When combined, known as HS, it is one of the most commonly prescribed Chinese Medicines for cancer patients today in China.Aim of the study: The prevention of disease progression is a dominant concern for the growing number of men with prostate cancer. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the action and mode of action of Chinese Medicine recipe HS in inhibiting prostate cancer progression in preclinical models.Methods: Effects of HS were analyzed in prostate cancer cell lines by evaluating proliferation, cell cycle profile, DNA damage and key regulators responsible for G(2) to M phase transition. The transcriptional activities of these regulators were determined by RT-PCR and ChIP. The efficacy of HS in vitro was validated in an animal model.Results: HS treatment was observed to reduce DNA content and accumulated prostate cancer cells at the G(2)/M phase. Immunolabeling for phospho-Histone H3 in association with nocodazole to capture mitotic cells confirmed that HS impeded G(2) to M transition. After excluding DNA damage-induced G(2) arrest, it was revealed that HS reduced expression of Cyclin B1, CDK1, PLK1 and Aurora A at both protein and mRNA levels, with concomitant reduction of H3K4 tri-methylation at their promoter-regions. Animals that received oral administration of HS with a dosage relevant to clinical application showed reduced tumor volume and weight with a reduction of Cyclin B1, CDK1, PLK1 and Aurora A protein levels.Conclusions: HS acts by impeding the G(2) to M transition of prostate cancer cells. It is likely that the mode of action is transcriptionally suppressing proteins governing mitotic entry, without eliciting significant DNA damage.

Species covered 半枝莲 Scutellaria barbata 白花蛇舌草 Hedyotis diffusa