Objective: To investigate the effect of Qilan Capsules (QLC) on the expressions of the related proteins HIF-1α, VEGF-α, EphA2 and MMP-1 in the formation of vasculogenic mimicry (VM) in prostate cancer.
Methods: Prostate cancer PC-3 cells were cultured, transfected with siRNA, and divided into eight groups, blank control, HIF-1α siRNA, VEGF-α siRNA, EphA2 siRNA, QLC intervention, QLC + HIF-1α siRNA, QLC + VEGF-α siRNA, and QLC + EphA2 siRNA. The expressions of the HIF-1α, VEGF-α and EphA2 proteins in the pathway of VEGF were determined by Western blot.
Results: Compared with the blank control group, the expression of HIF-1α was evidently decreased in the HIF-lα siRNA and QLC + HIF-lα siRNA groups (0.624 7 ± 0.042 8 vs 0.032 8 ± 0.002 5 and 0.036 8 ± 0.018 1, P < 0.05), so were that of VEGF-α in the VEGF-α siRNA and QLC + VEGF-α siRNA groups (0.068 9 ± 0.005 1 vs 0.016 9 ± 0.000 7 and 0.010 9 ± 0.000 8, P < 0.05), that of EphA2 in the EphA2 siRNA and QLC + EphA2 siRNA groups though with no statistically significant difference (0.1684 ± 0.0126 vs 0.134 5 ± 0.028 6 and 0.165 4 ± 0.039 8, P > 0.05), and that of MMP-1 in the HIF-lα siRNA, VEGF-α siRNA and EphA2 siRNA groups (1.696 1 ± 0.152 7 vs 0.435 9 ± 0.036 9, 0.198 7 ± 0.009 0 and 0.0218 ± 0.000 7, P < 0.05).
Conclusions: Qilan Capsules can suppress VM formation in prostate cancer by inhibiting the expressions of HIF-1α, VEGF-α and MMP-1, which plays a role in the clinical treatment of prostate cancer by checking the growth and development of the blood supply system in the tumor tissue.
目的:探讨芪蓝胶囊对前列腺癌血管生成拟态（VM）形成中缺氧诱导因子1α（HIF-1α）、血管内皮生长因子α（VEGFα)、上皮细胞激酶-2（EphA2）蛋白表达的抑制作用。方法: 选用PC-3细胞，培养后进行siRNA转染，将细胞分为空白对照组、HIF-lα siRNA组、VEGF-α siRNA组、EphA2 siRNA组、芪蓝胶囊（中剂量）组、芪蓝胶囊+HIF-lα siRNA组、芪蓝胶囊+VEGF-α siRNA组、芪蓝胶囊+EphA2 siRNA组。采用Western印迹技术检测VEGF通路上各点的蛋白表达情况。结果: HIF-1α蛋白表达量结果中HIF-lα siRNA组为0.032 8±0.002 5，芪蓝胶囊+HIF-lα siRNA组为0.03 68±0.018 1，与空白组(0.624 7 ± 0.042 8)相比，具有统计学意义（P<0.05）。VEGF-α蛋白表达量结果中VEGF-α siRNA组为0.016 9±0.000 7，芪蓝胶囊+VEGF-α siRNA组为0.010 9±0.000 8，与空白组(0.068 9 ± 0.005 1)相比，具有统计学意义（P<0.05）。EphA2蛋白表达量结果中EphA2 siRNA组为0.134 5±0.028 6，芪蓝胶囊+EphA2 siRNA组为0.165 4±0.039 8，与空白组(0.1684 ± 0.0126)相比，差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。MMP-1蛋白表达量结果示HIF-lα siRNA、VEGF-α siRNA、EphA2 siRNA组与空白组相比，均具有统计学差异（P<0.05）。结论: 芪蓝胶囊通过抑制HIF-1α、VEGF-α、MMP-1蛋白的表达，从而使前列腺癌组织中VM形成受到抑制，影响了肿瘤组织自身血液供应系统的生长、发展过程，最终起到治疗前列腺癌的临床作用。.
Keywords: vascular endothelial growth factor-α; epithelial cell kinase 2; hypoxia-inducible factor-lα; matrix metalloproteinase-1; prostate cancer; vasculogenic mimicry; Qilan Capsules.