Ursolic acid synergistically enhances the therapeutic effects of oxaliplatin in colorectal cancer

doi:10.1007/s13238-016-0295-0

Protein Cell

2016, Vol. 7

Issue (8) : 571-585 https://doi.org/10.1007/s13238-016-0295-0

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Ursolic acid synergistically enhances the therapeutic effects of oxaliplatin in colorectal cancer

Jianzhen Shan¹,Yanyan Xuan²,Qi Zhang³,Chunpeng Zhu⁴,Zhen Liu²,Suzhan Zhang²(

)

¹. Department of Medical Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China
². Cancer Institute of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China
³. Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China
⁴. Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China

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Abstract

Oxaliplatin is a key drug in chemotherapy of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, its efficacy is unsatisfied due to drug resistance of cancer cells. In this study, we tested whether a natural agent, ursolic acid, was able to enhance the efficacy of oxaliplatin for CRC. Four CRC cell lines including SW480, SW620, LoVo, and RKO were used as in vitro models, and a SW620 xenograft mouse model was used in further in vivo study. We found that ursolic acid inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis of all four cells and enhanced the cytotoxicity of oxaliplatin. This effect was associated with down-regulation of Bcl-xL, Bcl-2, survivin, activation of caspase-3, 8, 9, and inhibition of KRAS expression and BRAF, MEK1/2, ERK1/2, p-38, JNK, AKT, IKKα, IκBα, and p65 phosphorylation of the MAPK, PI3K/AKT, and NF-κB signaling pathways. The two agents also showed synergistic effects against tumor growth in vivo. In addition, ursolic acid restored liver function and body weight of the mice treated with oxaliplatin. Thus, we concluded that ursolic acid could enhance the therapeutic effects of oxaliplatin against CRC both in vitro and in vivo, which offers an effective strategy to minimize the burden of oxaliplatin-induced adverse events and provides the groundwork for a new clinical strategy to treat CRC.

Keywords ursolic acid colorectal cancer oxaliplatin signaling pathways

Corresponding Author(s): Suzhan Zhang

Issue Date: 12 September 2016

Cite this article:

Jianzhen Shan,Yanyan Xuan,Qi Zhang, et al. Ursolic acid synergistically enhances the therapeutic effects of oxaliplatin in colorectal cancer[J]. Protein Cell, 2016, 7(8): 571-585.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/pac/EN/10.1007/s13238-016-0295-0
https://academic.hep.com.cn/pac/EN/Y2016/V7/I8/571

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