Babao Dan Inhibits Gastric Cancer Progression in vivo through Multiple Signaling Pathways

Abstract

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the effects of Babao dan (BBD), a traditional Chinese medicine, on gastric cancer (GC) progression in vivo. Materials and Methods: A subcutaneous xenograft mouse model of GC was established using MGC80-3 cells. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP: 2’-deoxyuridine 5’-triphosphate -biotin nick-end labeling method was adopted to detect cell apoptosis in vivo. The expression levels of proteins associated with proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis were measured by immunohistochemical staining or western blotting (WB). The activation and protein levels of p-c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p-p38, p-extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2, p-nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and p-STAT3 were examined by Bio-plex and WB. Results: BBD significantly inhibited tumor growth in GC mouse models with no adverse effect on body weight or organ function. It was also found that BBD significantly suppressed the proliferation of GC tumor cells, induced the apoptosis of tumor cells, and inhibited angiogenesis through inactivating with mitogen-activated protein kinase, NF-κB, and STAT3 pathways. Conclusions: BBD exerts suppressive effects on GC tumor growth by regulating multiple pathways in vivo, which may provide a novel treatment option for GC therapy.