Berberine induces apoptosis in non-small-cell lung cancer cells by upregulating miR-19a targeting tissue factor

Qian-Qian Chen; Jia-Min Shi; Zhou Ding; Qing Xia; Tian-Sheng Zheng; Yan-Bei Ren; Ming Li; Li-Hong Fan

doi:10.2147/CMAR.S207677

Berberine induces apoptosis in non-small-cell lung cancer cells by upregulating miR-19a targeting tissue factor

Cancer Manag Res. 2019 Oct 21:11:9005-9015. doi: 10.2147/CMAR.S207677. eCollection 2019.

Authors

Qian-Qian Chen^{1

2

3}, Jia-Min Shi^{1

2}, Zhou Ding^{1

2}, Qing Xia^{1

2}, Tian-Sheng Zheng^{1

2}, Yan-Bei Ren^{1

2}, Ming Li^{1

2}, Li-Hong Fan^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shanghai 10th People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai 200072, People's Republic of China.
² Institute of Energy Metabolism and Health, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, People's Republic of China.
³ Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 22601, People's Republic of China.

Abstract

Background: Berberine (BBR) from the widely used Chinese herbal medicine Huanglian has an array of pharmacological and biochemical properties, including anti-neoplastic activity. However, the specific mechanisms underlying these properties are unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the anti-tumor mechanisms of BBR in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: The effects of BBR on NSCLC tumor development and programmed cell death were investigated both in vivo and in vitro. Luciferase reporter assays were used to determine whether tissue factor (TF) was a target of miR-19a.

Results: BBR suppressed NSCLC growth and promoted apoptosis in NSCLC cells by modulating miR-19a and TF expression. Luciferase assays showed that TF was a direct inhibitory target of miR-19a in NSCLC cells. BBR induced apoptosis through the miR-19a/TF/MAPK axis.

Conclusion: The results suggest that BBR induces apoptosis of NSCLC cells via the miR-19a/TF/MAPK signaling pathway.

Keywords: MAPK; NSCLC; TF; berberine; miR-19a; non-small-cell lung carcinoma; tissue factor.