Zhi Zhen Fang formula reverses Hedgehog pathway mediated multidrug resistance in colorectal cancer

Oncol Rep. 2017 Oct;38(4):2087-2095. doi: 10.3892/or.2017.5917. Epub 2017 Aug 23.

Abstract

Zhi-Zhen-Fang (ZZR), a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula, has been clinically used in China to treat drug-resistant colorectal cancer (CRC) patients as an adjuvant. In this study, the efficacy of ZZR in suppressing multidrug resistance (MDR) on CRC was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. We observed that ZZR enhanced the sensitivity of chemotherapeutic drugs and induced apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent mannner in CRC MDR cells. Interestingly, signaling of Hedgehog pathway, particularly Gli1, was also inhibited by ZZR. This effect of ZZR in reversing drug resistance and suppressing Gli1 was attenuated by a Hedgehog activator (SAG). Furthermore, ZZR inhibited MDR CRC tumor growth in a xenograft mouse model as well as downregulated Gli1 levels. This study provided the first direct evidence demonstrating ZZR can attenuate MDR by repressing Hedgehog signaling in human CRC.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / pharmacology*
  • HCT116 Cells
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Random Allocation
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • FTZ formula