Litchi seed extract inhibits epidermal growth factor receptor signaling and growth of Two Non-small cell lung carcinoma cells. Issue 1 (December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chung, Yuan-Chiang; Chen, Chin-Hui; Tsai, Yu-Ting; Lin, Chih-Cheng; Chou, Jyh-Ching; Kao, Ting-Yu; Huang, Chiu-Chen; Cheng, Chi-Hsuan; Hsu, Chih-Ping
• Is Part Of: BMC complementary and alternative medicine. Volume 17:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 9
• Publication Date: 2017-12
• Subjects: Litchi seed extract -- NSCLC -- Cell cycle -- Apoptosis -- EGFR; Alternative medicine -- Periodicals; Complementary Therapies -- Periodicals; 615.505
• DOI: 10.1186/s12906-016-1541-y
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1472-6882

Abstract

Abstract Background Litchi seeds possess rich amounts of phenolics and have been shown to inhibit proliferation of several types of cancer cells. However, the suppression of EGFR signaling in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by litchi seed extract (LCSE) has not been fully understood. Methods In this study, the effects of LCSE on EGFR signaling, cell proliferation, the cell cycle and apoptosis in A549 adenocarcinoma cells and NCI- H661 large-cell carcinoma cells were examined. Results The results demonstrated that LCSE potently reduced the number of cancer cells and induced growth inhibition, cell-cycle arrest in the G1 or G2/M phase, and apoptotic death in the cellular experiment. Only low cytotoxicity effect was noted in normal lung MRC-5 cells. LCSE also suppressed cyclins and Bcl-2 and elevated Kip1/p27, Bax and caspase 8, 9 and 3 activities, which are closely associated with the downregulation of EGFR and its downstream Akt and Erk-1/-2 signaling. Conclusion The results implied that LCSE suppressed EGFR signaling and inhibited NSCLC cell growth. This study providedin vitro evidence that LCSE could serve as a potential agent for the adjuvant treatment of NSCLC.